Reflection
by ChasingAmy
Summary: When Dr. Chase met a patient living the troubled life he had known, he was determined to help....Until he became a patient himself.
1. Chapter 1

** Reflection**

When Dr. Chase met a patient living the troubled life he had known, he was determined to help…Until he became a patient himself.

**Chapter One**

"This is just unacceptable! An old woman like me shouldn't have to sit around in a drafty hallway for hours and listen to all that hammering and banging! What's going on around here? The last time I was here I wasn't in this room."

Dr. Robert Chase sat quietly, staring blankly at his elderly patient as she complained and waved her arms about dramatically. "Ma'am," he said tiredly, forcing himself to remain polite, "I'm sorry you're upset, but things around here are a little crazy today. There was an accident in the clinic a few days ago and there's a crew here now trying to get things back in order."

"What kind of an accident?" the woman asked nosily.

"I'm not sure," Chase answered honestly, refraining from telling his patient that an old lounge that had been used as storage space had been cleaned out to act as a makeshift clinic when the original area had unexpectedly suffered smoke and water damage after Dr. Gregory House had ended his shift last week. And although the Dean of Medicine was certain that the brilliant diagnostician had caused the accident to find a way to get out of clinic duty, she had yet to find any evidence to prove it.

"Well, maybe the next time my arthritis acts up I'll just go to a different clinic so I don't go home with an earache!" the woman grumbled as she walked out the door.

Chase slumped down in his chair as the patient left, silently wishing the grouchy woman had gone to another clinic. He grimaced as he glanced down at the name tag on his lab coat and read his boss' name 'Dr. House', bitter that he had drawn the short straw that morning and ended up covering House's clinic hours for the day.

Within the last five hours, he had examined crying babies, STD victims, a bipolar man that had accused him of being the devil, a hyper little boy with a talent for biting and a group of teenagers feigning illness to get out of an exam from the teacher from hell. After dealing with all of the chaos, he was longing to return to his work as an intensivist in the ICU, surrounded by patients that were too sick to waste his time or make foolish complaints.

"Excuse me?" a soft voice called into the room, barely heard over the noise echoing through the hall.

Chase sat up wearily and glanced at the teenage girl standing idly in the doorway. "Yes?"

"Sorry if I'm bothering you, but the nurse out there told me to come in. Actually, she kind of ordered me to come in."

"Yeah, Nurse Pervin can be a little aggressive. Go ahead and take a seat," he offered, hopeful that his newest patient would at least be quieter than the last. "Did the nurse take your temperature or anything before sending you in?"

The teenager nodded and handed him a piece of paper as she sat on the edge of the gurney. "Yeah, she told me to give you this, so I'm guessing it's on there. Do I have a fever?"

Chase shook his head as he read over the paper. "No, you're normal, Miss Meadows," he answered as he glanced at her name.

"Please call me, Audrey, I'm only eighteen, formal names make me feel old."

"I understand," Chase replied, loathing being called 'Dr. House' throughout the morning. "So, it says here you're really tired and achy?"

"Uh, yeah, and my throat hurts," she added hastily.

"Well, let's have a look," Chase said as he grabbed a few supplies. "Say 'ah' for me." He squinted as the patient complied. "I'm not seeing any signs of infection or irritation," he commented as he tossed out the tongue depressor and gently moved his hands over her neck. "Your glands aren't swollen."

"That's weird."

"Sometimes a change in weather can cause a scratchy throat with little proof," Chase explained as he pushed Audrey's long auburn hair aside and examined her ears. "Your ears are clear."

"Yeah, they feel fine," she mumbled.

"Take a deep breath for me," Chase requested as he placed his stethoscope to her back. He listened carefully as she took several deep breaths, growing frustrated when another test came back completely normal. At first, he had been hopeful that Audrey would be a normal patient who wasn't going to rant and complain, try to bite him or fake him out, but now it seemed the trend had continued.

"Audrey, do you have a teacher named Mrs.Gordon?"

"Yes, why?" she asked nervously.

"Just curious because I've seen about three or four teens pop in here, because coming in and playing hooky is apparently easier than taking a math test."

"I didn't have a test today. Only algebra students had a test. I'm taking pre-cal."

"Pre-cal, huh? You must be a good student."

Audrey shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

"So I can't figure why someone as smart as you would come in here and pretend to be sick instead of just going to school," he said angrily.

Truthfully, most of the time, Chase didn't really care if a student tried to fake him out, sometimes he had even falsely diagnosed them with a cold to protect them from their parents. But after dealing with crazy people, ungrateful, complaining patients and noisy construction ringing in the halls, his patience had been spread too thin.

"I don't get you kids. I know school sucks and it's boring, but it's a hell of a lot easier than being in the real world."

"Damn straight," Audrey snapped. "I would never skip school because of a stupid test. Most of the time school is practically a vacation in paradise for me compared to the rest of my day."

"Then why would you skip?" Chase asked, anxious to find out what had caused his timid patient's sudden personality change.

"It doesn't matter," Audrey said as she stood and headed for the door.

"Yes, it does," Chase insisted as he blocked the doorway.

"No, it doesn't! Look, call my school and report me, do whatever you have to do."

"I'm not going to do that. And if you talk to me, I'll get out of your way. Are you in trouble?"

Audrey rolled her eyes and gave a weak sarcastic chuckle. "I'm not a walking, talking after-school special. I'm not getting molested at home. I don't have an abusive boyfriend. And I'm not pregnant."

"That's good. And now that you've told me what isn't wrong, why don't you tell me what is."

"I did," Audrey whispered. "I'm tired, okay? Really, really tired, too tired to deal today."

Chase stood silently as he observed her, feeling a little guilty as he noticed the extreme paleness of her skin and the dark circles lying under her gray eyes. If it hadn't been for the faking teenagers before her, he never would have accused her of playing hooky, regardless of the exam results.

"What are you too tired to deal with?"

"Everything. I just-," Audrey suddenly paused and faced him. "Wait, are you doing this because you think I'm suicidal? If that's the case, you can stop now, I'm not."

"I don't think you're suicidal, I'd just like to know what's making you so tired."

"Being the parent, that's what is making me tired."

"You have a kid?"

"No, I'm the kid of a woman that can't take care of herself."

"Your mother has special needs?"

"Yeah, a special need for alcohol."

Chase shivered slightly and felt his stomach churn as Audrey spoke and his own memories of his intoxicated mother and his dysfunctional adolescence washed over him.

"There are programs that can help-"

"It's too late," Audrey interjected. "She has liver cancer, brought on by the cirrhosis from all of the drinking. She still hasn't stopped. I can't even say I blame her at this point, it's the only thing in what's left of her life that she enjoys. I've kept her alive for years, sometimes I wonder why."

That was a question Chase had asked himself many times when he sat at his mother's bedside as a teenager. And even as an adult, questions still haunted him as he always wondered if there was anything more he could have done to save her life.

"How does your dad feel about all this?"

"It's hard for him to feel anything. He _was_ suicidal. He killed himself three months ago, he couldn't take it anymore."

"I-I'm sorry," Chase stuttered.

"Don't be, it's not your fault. And it doesn't really matter anyway. I'm handling things on my own. I'm a straight A student, I have a part-time job and I'm making sure all of our bills are paid on time. But sometimes…I just need a break, so I come here."

"Why here?"

Audrey smiled weakly. "I know it must sound crazy that I would choose to spend a day in a crowded, loud clinic. But if I'm here, I can block it all out and I can actually not think about anything. I don't have to think about my mom, school or even taking inventory at work. I can just relax and feel safe. You were the first doctor to catch on to me. I'm naturally really pale and I always have dark circles from barely sleeping, so the doctor just assumes I need a little rest. The last time I came some skinny brunette actually hugged me just because I looked exhausted. I can't remember her name, though."

"Cameron," Chase answered easily. "Listen, Audrey, I think it's amazing that you've been able to keep going so strong, but you can't keep it up. You need help."

"There isn't any," Audrey said sadly. "I'm eighteen, I can't go into foster care. And I can't support myself with a job that only pays minimum wage. My mom's disability money and my SSI are keeping me from being homeless."

"But what will you do when-" Chase paused, hating to say the words.

"My mom dies?" Audrey filled in. "I'm not sure. I kind of have to go day-by-day right now."

Chase was speechless as he desperately tried to think of something he could do to help Audrey. All through his teen years, he had hated his father for using his money to solve his problems and simply sending him a check to cover his mother's needs. Now he longed to give Audrey the money to walk away from her mother and start a life of her own. But when he looked into her eyes, he knew that even if Audrey had the chance to abandon her mother, she never would, just as he never had.

A harsh knock sounded on the door suddenly and Nurse Pervin stuck her head into the room. "Doctor," she said irritably, "is something wrong? We're backing up out here."

"No," Chase answered. "No, we'll only be a few more minutes. Do me a favor and write out a school excuse for Audrey, she can return on the 18th."

"The 18th?" Audrey repeated in surprise. "That's not until Monday."

"I know. I can honestly say you're suffering from exhaustion, take Friday and try to enjoy it. There are much better places than this clinic to clear your head, try a park or library," he suggested, recommending the hide-outs he had used at her age.

"Wow. Thank you," Audrey told him gratefully. "That's really nice of you."

"I just wish I could do more. Take care of yourself, Audrey, and if something happens you can come here and ask for me if you like. I'm Dr. Chase."

"I thought you were Dr. House?" Audrey replied as she pointed to his name tag.

"I just grabbed the wrong lab coat," Chase fibbed as he walked Audrey to the door.

"Well, thanks again, Dr. Chase."

Chase gave her a humble grin as he opened the door. "You're welcome."

"You've been there, haven't you?" Audrey whispered, tilting her head to face him as she paused in the doorway.

"Why would you think that?"

She shrugged limply. "For months my school shrink has been trying to get me to open up and people have been suspicious in the past, but I never could talk to them. But after knowing you a few minutes, I basically told you everything. You're different, I can tell."

"Yeah, I've been there," he said softly. "And-" Chase was cut off suddenly as a homeless man ran through the waiting area and pushed through the door, knocking him and Audrey to the ground.

"My turn! My turn!" he shouted crazily. "Enough gabbin'!"

Chase coughed roughly as dust and dirt from the man's filthy clothing and backpack hung in the air. "All right, all right," he gasped as he stood up. "Just hold on! Audrey, are you okay?" he asked as he offered her his hand.

"Yes," Audrey panted as Chase pulled her to her feet. "You were right. There are _definitely_ better places to clear my head than here."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**

**Hi , I just wanted to say thank you quickly to everyone that was kind enough to leave feedback after reading the first chapter. I also wanted to warn anyone that hasn't seen 'Autopsy' or 'Insensitive' that this chapter includes a spolier or two. Thanks again!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from House or have any association with the production. This was purely written for fun and I am not receiving any profits from it.**

**Chapter Two**

"I am bored out of my mind!"

Chase tiredly looked up from his crossword puzzle as his co-worker, neurologist Eric Foreman, paced around the office bitterly. "Relax, Foreman," he said casually. "Pacing won't bring a case in."

"I'm actually starting to get jealous that Cameron got stuck covering for House in the clinic, at least she has something to do."

"Trust me," Chase sighed as he recalled his hellish hours in the makeshift clinic last week, "you shouldn't be. What's a five-letter word for a dark reddish brown color?"

"Sepia! Come on, doesn't every idiot know that?"

"Hello, House," Chase greeted knowingly.

"Do we have a case?" Foreman asked hopefully as their boss limped into the room.

"No," House answered as he plopped down at the table. "But if you're really bored, we could always give you a brain biopsy again, that was fun."

Foreman rolled his eyes and swore beneath his breath. "Oh, yeah, nothing's more exciting than nearly dying. And if we don't have a case, why in the hell are you in here with us?"

House gasped and rested his hands over his chest. "I'm hurt. Did you ever think maybe I wanted to come and spend my lunch hour with you two?"

"No," Chase and Foreman replied in unison.

"Good point. I'm hiding from Cuddy, apparently she's pissed that I sent Cameron to do my dirty work. Or perhaps that I told one of the nurses they should quit their day job and try being a drag queen."

"That seems pretty mild for you," Foreman commented.

House smiled smugly. "It's only noon, there's still plenty of hours left in the day to live up to my full bastard potential. And this should earn me a few more points."

Chase brushed aside his blonde bangs to watch House as he began digging into a paper bag. "You stole Wilson's lunch again?"

House shoved a large bite of food into his mouth. "Like you had to ask."

Chase rolled his green eyes and grinned when he looked at the door and saw Dr. Alison Cameron walking in. He quickly wiped the smile from his face and cast his gaze back to his crossword puzzle before his boss could make any comments about the co-workers with benefits arrangement he and the immunologist had created.

"Cameron, what are you doing here?" House whined. "You're supposed to be in the clinic caring about patients and all that other nonsense people insist doctors do."

"Calm down, I just came up to have a break and pass on some information," the pretty brunette explained.

"Did you find a case for us in the clinic?" Foreman practically begged.

Cameron shook her head. "No, just Chase. A patient in the clinic asked for him. It's a teenage girl, maybe she has a crush."

House dropped his jaw. "And you're just going to let a younger woman move in on your sex buddy?"

Chase felt his cheeks burning brightly as Cameron glanced at him awkwardly.

"Anyway," she whispered, "if you want to take it, she's still downstairs, I went ahead and let her go into one of the exam rooms to wait. But if you don't want to go, I'll see her when I get back."

"Oh, no, you won't! House will!"

"Uh-oh!" House whistled as Dr. Lisa Cuddy stormed in, obviously on the war path. "Dearest Cuddy, that house Dorothy dropped on you clearly wasn't enough, anyone got any water handy?"

"Enough!" the Dean of Medicine cried. "House, don't bother giving me excuses. You haven't done one hour of your own clinic duty in over a week and I _know_ you were the reason we had to shell out thousands of dollars for repairs."

"But can you prove it?" House questioned.

"I don't have to prove it. If you just go, I'll pretend I never heard anything about you leaving a wig and pantyhose at the nurses' station."

"Oh, all right, I'm sure that teenage girl waiting on Chase will be thrilled to see me. I know I'll be thrilled to see her. Well, certain parts of her anyway."

Cuddy arched her brow. "Why is she waiting on Chase?"

"Well…" House hummed loudly. "He did let a dying nine-year-old talk him into giving her a first kiss. Maybe he's let a dying teenager talk him into taking her virginity."

"Don't even joke about that!" Cuddy fumed. "Cameron, what happened?"

"Nothing. She just asked if she could see him," Cameron explained. "I'm not sure why."

"Chase," Cuddy sighed as she faced him, "do you want to go down to the clinic?"

Chase sat silently for a moment, at any other time he would have gladly insisted House go cover his own clinic hours, but when he remembered the exhausted daughter of a dying alcoholic he had promised to help, he knew he couldn't go back on his word.

"Yeah, I'll go. It beats sitting around here," he said casually as he stood up.

"Fine," Cuddy allowed. "But House takes over after you see the girl, got it?"

"Got it," Chase retorted as he stepped out the door.

The intensivist walked slowly through the quiet hallway, enjoying the rare silence that he knew would disappear once he entered the clinic waiting area. When he reached the elevator, he saw James Wilson stepping through the open doors.

"Chase, have you seen House?" the oncologist asked with a sigh.

"Yep," Chase answered simply as he went into the elevator.

"And have you seen my lunch?"

"Yep."

Dr. Wilson a released a ragged breath and ran his hands through his dark hair. "So, let me guess, you saw House eating my lunch?"

"Yep."

Dr. Chase reluctantly stepped off the elevator, deliberately wasting time before he went to see the patient waiting for him in the clinic. As soon as Cameron had mentioned the teenage girl, he had known instantly it must be Audrey. After seeing her last week, he had often thought of her and wondered what would happen to her. But now that she had returned to take him up on the help he had offered, he was worried that he did not have any help to give. How could he help her solve her problems when he hadn't even been able to solve his own when he was a teenager? He had only been able to run away from them.

He drew in a deep breath and headed toward the exam room, determined he could at least give Audrey someone to talk that would understand if nothing else. He quickly grabbed the chart hanging on the back of the door, not bothering to read what symptoms Audrey had feigned to give her an excuse to come back and take a break from reality.

"Hi there," he said as he opened the door, quickly dropping his voice when he saw Audrey curled up on the exam table. He sighed as he remembered the exhaustion he had dealt with after a hellish night with his mother's delirious tantrums and his need to take a nap whenever and wherever he could.

Quietly, he walked over to the exam table to gently wake her, alarmed when he came closer to see she was trembling and her face was ashen. Chase immediately opened her chart and read over her symptoms and vitals: fatigue, weakness, and severe back pain, her temperature was slightly elevated at 99.5 and her pulse and blood pressure were normal.

"Audrey," Chase said, raising his voice as he shook her shoulder. "Audrey, wake up."

Audrey opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the light. "Dr. Chase?" she whispered tiredly, struggling to speak through her chattering teeth.

"Yes. Dr. Cameron said you wanted to see me."

Audrey nodded weakly. "Yeah, I didn't come for a break this time, I swear. I don't feel well."

"It's all right, I believe you," Chase assured her as he slipped on a pair of latex gloves. "When did this start?"

"Last night. I was really tired and a little sore, but it didn't hurt really badly until this morning. My back is killing me."

"How bad is the pain, on a scale of one to ten?"

"Seven maybe eight."

Chase's brow furrowed as he read over Audrey's chart once more, none of her vitals could explain such intense pain. "Go ahead and sit up so I can take a look at you," he said, watching worriedly as tears misted Audrey's eyes and she bit down on her lip as she struggled to pull herself up.

"I'll try to make this fast," he promised as he placed his stethoscope to his ears. "You know the drill, deep breaths." He listened intently, surprised and relieved when he heard her lungs were clear. "Well, the problem's not in your lungs. Is anything else hurting, your ears, throat or head? Anything?" he inquired as he ran his hands over her neck, noting her swollen glands.

"No."

"Okay. I'm going to look at your eyes, let me know if the light hurts," he told her as he removed the penlight from his pocket and shone it into her eyes.

Audrey gazed forward wearily, blinking a few times as Chase leaned closer before she winced and shut her eyes.

"Audrey, does it hurt to look into the light?" Chase prodded.

"Dizzy," Audrey murmured.

"I've got the light turned off, open your eyes for me." Chase stood impatiently, growing anxious when Audrey failed to comply. "Audrey," he said, his voice loud and firm, "Audrey, open your eyes for me."

"Diz-" Audrey whispered as her voice trailed off and her body limply fell forward into Dr. Chase's arms as she lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Once again, I just wanted to thank everyone that has given me feedback. Also, very brief references are made regarding 'Cursed', 'Autopsy', 'The Mistake' and 'Insensitive'. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

**Chapter Three**

Dr. Chase stood alone in the laboratory, anxiously awaiting the results of the Epstein Barr tider he had ordered. He cast an annoyed glance at the pile of papers lying before him, frustrated that none of the many tests he had performed could fully explain his patient's symptoms.

"Hey there," a feminine voice said from the doorway.

"Hi," Chase told Dr. Cameron nonchalantly as she entered the laboratory.

"Wow, looks like you've been here awhile," Cameron commented, glimpsing at the stack of papers. "Are you treating someone in the ICU?"

Chase shook his head. "No, I've been running some tests on the girl that wanted to see me."

Cameron's eyes widened. "You've spent four hours trying to diagnose her? I didn't think she had anything too serious when I saw her, if I had known, I wouldn't have let her wait around."

"I'm not certain that it's anything serious," Chase explained awkwardly, "I'd just like to be sure. She fainted during the exam and was in quite a bit of pain."

"You want me to take a look?"

"Sure."

"The symptoms don't seem too troubling," Cameron said as she read over Audrey's file. "Vitals are normal and her temperature has barely risen in four hours."

"I know, but she really was in a lot of pain and also badly dehydrated. That seems a bit severe considering everything appears to be normal."

Cameron dropped her jaw as she looked through the pile of tests. "You've tested her for strep, a kidney infection, taken x-rays of her back and ran a complete blood count twice?"

"I wanted to be thorough, sometimes even simple things can be serious if they're not caught in time," Chase defended as the results of his newest test were printed, providing yet another negative response.

"Epstein Barr?" Cameron said as she read over his shoulder. "You tested her for mono?"

"Her glands are swollen, she's tired and her white count is up a bit, it wasn't as if I did it for the hell of it," Chase insisted, quickly growing annoyed by Cameron's comments and attitude.

"Relax, Chase, you're right, it's best to be thorough. But did you ever think she just had the flu? Or maybe a pulled muscle? Someone could have both at the same time."

Chase sighed. "I know that, I'm not an idiot. After I do a spinal tap, I'll stop my tests."

"Is that really necessary? Even with numbing medication, a tap is usually painful. Why put someone through it if you don't have to?"

"Because severe back pain is sometimes connected to meningitis."

"Chase, if you're so worried, why not just ask House to look at her?"

"Oh, right," Chase said, rolling his eyes, "so he can mock me? You know as well as I do, Audrey doesn't have one symptom that will spark his interest."

"But she obviously has one that has sparked yours'," Cameron retorted evenly.

Chase couldn't help smirking. "Oh, are you jealous?"

"No."

"You're curious," Chase stated bluntly.

It wasn't a big secret that despite Cameron's genuine sincerity with her patients, her concern was often deepened by plain curiosity. Chase still felt his stomach churn anytime he was reminded of her prodding to learn more about his rigid relationship with his father. Occasionally he found himself wondering why Cameron hadn't gone into psychology so she could spend her days picking the brains of damaged people and get paid for it.

"Maybe. It's been a while since I've seen you so involved in a patient's well-being, Chase."

"Oh, that's right. The roles of caring and compassion are shared between you and Wilson and I'm the jackass that shows a patient all eighty-four of my teeth and tells them my tonsil story."

Cameron winced. "I'm not Foreman, I know you may not get as attached as I do, but I do think you give a damn about your patients. After all, I've seen you spare a little boy from seeing his divorced parents fight with a snack stop at a vending machine and you've given a dying little girl her wish and tickets to see real butterflies. Maybe there was a time when you were more of a showman than a doctor, but not anymore."

Chase stood silently a moment, stunned by Cameron's compliment. After being the butt of jokes for so long and dubbed the slacker of House's trio, he doubted any of his co-workers would ever see him as anything more. If only they knew he had confided more about himself to his patients than anyone else.

"Thanks," he stammered. "Glad to know someone doesn't think I'm a total idiot. I'll see you later, I'm going to go run that test."

"I could come with you."

"I can do a tap on my own."

"It might put less strain on your patient if I'm there to help her hold the fetal position," Cameron said as she followed him into the hall.

"And you're still curious," Chase added as he stepped into the supply room and began gathering items. "If you don't have anything better to do, come along if you like."

"I'm free. I finished with House's mail a little while ago."

"You spent four hours answering letters for House?"

"I had to do something while Foreman was in the clinic."

"I thought Cuddy said House had to finish?" Chase said as he walked into the emergency room.

"Foreman volunteered, he couldn't take anymore boredom," Cameron answered.

"Which means House has spent the last four hours in coma guy's room watching reruns on SoapNet," Chase assumed.

"Or napping and snacking in Wilson's office," Cameron suggested.

"This is it," Chase announced as he led Cameron into one of the ER curtain areas. He smiled as he pulled back the drape and saw Audrey reading her watch anxiously. "Are you timing me now?"

"No," Audrey whispered tiredly. "I'm just trying to keep track of the time. I should be at work in a half hour, I'm okay to go now, aren't I? That medicine you gave me helped, my back doesn't hurt as much."

"I'm glad the Demerol helped, but you need to stay put," Chase replied as he began setting his supplies on a tray. "I'm here to do another test and Dr. Cameron has come along to help."

"I would be happy to call your workplace for you and explain what happened," Cameron offered. "I'm sure they'll understand; everyone gets sick occasionally."

Audrey sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I never should have taken a day off last week just because I was tired."

"Yes, you should have," Chase insisted. "You won't lose your job, I promise. Now, let's get this test started. Have you ever heard of a spinal tap?"

"Yeah, but isn't that only done for serious things? Like leukemia or MS?" Audrey worried.

"Yes, but I'm not concerned that you have either of those things. Sometimes a tap can be done just to test for infection in the cerebrospinal fluid."

"And it's going to hurt, isn't it?"

Chase paused. "You'll probably feel a lot of pressure, but I'm going to give you something to help numb you up."

"Maybe we could wait just a bit, in case you want someone to be with you," Cameron suggested. "Is there a family member here?"

"Um…no," Audrey stammered. "My mom doesn't do too well in hospitals. I'm okay, though, really. So, how do we do this test?"

"Lie on your side for me and curl up into a ball," Chase explained simply. "When we're ready to go,

Dr. Cameron will help you stay still."

"Is there anyone you would like us to call?" Cameron asked. "Another relative, a friend or maybe even a boyfriend?"

Audrey smiled weakly. "No, I'm okay. Besides, I really don't have any other family members and people my age aren't going to want to spend time in a hospital."

Chase held back a sigh as he examined Audrey's lower back, knowing the truth hidden in her casual response from his own adolescence. While he could have acquaintances at school that he ate lunch with, he could never allow himself to make a true friend that might inquire about his personal life or possibly follow him home and meet his delusional mother.

"All right, Audrey, this may sting a bit," Chase warned as he swapped her skin and gave her an injection of Lidocane. "But it doesn't take long for it to take effect. You can lose the stance for a minute."

"Why don't you give me your work number while we're waiting?" Cameron suggested as she pulled a notepad and pen from her pocket. "I'll call as soon as we're done here, then that will at least be one less thing you have to worry about."

"Oh, thanks," Audrey mumbled. "It's Gloria's Gift Shop. 555-0900."

"Oh, I've been there, it's a cute store. You like working there?"

Audrey nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. It sure as hell beats fast food."

Chase cracked a smile. "I bet. Are you feeling anything?" he asked as he prodded her back.

"No, nothing."

"Okay, then let's get this over with. Curl back up for me and stay still. It's really important not to move, okay?"

"Okay," Audrey promised as Cameron leaned over her, locking her arms behind her head and knees.

Chase ran his hand over Audrey's spine, double checking the location of her vertebrae one last time. Certain he had chosen the best spot, he inserted the long, hollow needle into her back and slid an empty vial under the end.

His eyes narrowed as he watched the fluid slowly drip into the tube, knowing that when the vial filled with clear liquid, he would have yet another negative test to add his collection.

"All done," Chase announced as he pulled out the needle. "Now you're going to need to lie flat on your back for a while, don't be moving around," he instructed.

"I'd just feel a lot of pressure, huh?" Audrey asked sarcastically as Cameron eased her over.

"Sorry," Chase apologized. "Some patients have pain, some don't. I didn't want to pysch you out if I didn't have to."

"But you handled it well," Cameron complimented, "better than most. I'm going to go run your results to lab and call your boss. If you change your mind about calling someone, don't hesitate to tell one of the nurses."

"I won't," Audrey murmured. "Thanks."

"No problem," Cameron replied, giving Audrey's hand a friendly squeeze. "Feel better."

"So, when do you get the results?" Audrey asked.

"Probably in an hour or so," Chase answered. "But I'm fairly certain they're going to be negative. I think you're just suffering from the flu and exhaustion. But I still would like you to stay overnight for observation."

Audrey arched her brow. "For the flu? Level with me, Dr. Chase, you are really keeping me here because I caught a virus or so I don't have to go home?"

"Both," Chase replied honestly. "Your fainting spell did worry me, you were very badly dehydrated and you could use a few more hours of extra fluids from the IV. And you need rest and I know if you go home, you won't get any. And there are perks to staying, you can move into a small room with a TV and restroom."

"But what happens to my mom if I don't go back?"

"That's for her to figure out. If she manages while you're at school and work, she can manage one night without you."

"She's normally passed out those hours," Audrey sighed.

"Audrey, you just had fluid removed from your spinal canal, focus on yourself."

"I know, I know," she whispered. "I have thought about me, a night here actually sounds nice."

"Now there's something I don't hear often."

"I bet. But here people actually give a damn, I can't remember the last time someone did. If I had fainted at home, no one would have caught me."

Chase gave her a forced grin, unable to remember the last time anyone had genuinely cared about him, either. "Well, right place, right time. I've got to get back to work, rest up."

"I will," Audrey yawned. "Thanks again."

Quietly, Chase pulled the curtain back and walked to the nurses' station to leave orders to have Audrey transferred. He was surprised when he saw Cameron waiting on him in the hall.

"Hey," she greeted. "For the record, I'm not curious anymore."

"Oh, really?"

"No, I feel too sorry for her to bother being curious. She shouldn't be alone here."

"I agree, but somehow, I doubt she'd want to hear either one of us saying it."

"So, the day's almost over," Cameron said in a whisper. "What do you say? Your place or mine?"

Chase smiled tiredly. "I don't think I have any microwave pizza in the freezer tonight. Foreman asked me earlier to cover for him."

"Oh, all right. But maybe you should stop by the grocery store later and stock up for another night."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:**

**As always, thank you to everyone who left feedback. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

**Chapter Four**

Chase yawned as he lifted his hand and knocked on Dr. Wilson's door, eager to end his long day.

"House!" Wilson shouted bitterly. "You have stolen all of my food, swiped my cell phone and used up all my minutes to call 900 numbers and told a nurse I had herpes, that's enough for one day!"

"Surprise," Chase said dully as he opened the door. "It's not House."

"Oh, sorry, Chase," Wilson apologized as he looked up from his paperwork. "I was expecting the worse. Go ahead and take a seat."

"Thanks," Chase replied as he plopped down. "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure. What do you need? Consult?"

"No, um, it may actually be an odd question, but I figure it's worth a shot to ask."

The oncologist pushed aside his notes. "All right, ask."

"I know this may sound a bit harsh, but it's well-known that a lot of patients in your field don't make it. I was wondering if you have ever had a patient with teenage children die that didn't have any other family."

Wilson nodded somberly. "Yeah, of course I have."

"I was just wondering what happens to the teenagers, what organizations there are to help."

"Foster care, if you can call that help."

"Oh, I know that. I meant if the kid is eighteen or nineteen, what about them?"

"Well, there's not much that I know of," Wilson said, rubbing his neck. "Unfortunately, they are considered adults legally and capable of solving their own problems. I do know of a few churches that have made donations to try to help kids ease into their independence. I could give you a list if you like."

"Yeah, sure," Chase mumbled as he stood. "It's better than nothing. Thanks."

"Hey," Wilson said, squinting as he looked at the young doctor. "You okay?"

Chase paused in the doorway. "Yeah, I'm fine. Goodnight."

Wearily Chase walked through the emptying halls toward Audrey's new room, hearing his answer echo in his ears, _'yeah, I'm fine._' What a lie. He hadn't been fine since Audrey came into the clinic and reminded him of everything he had wanted to forget. And now he was beginning to wonder if he had ever really been fine to begin with.

For so long he had always ran away from his past. When his mother died, his father had sent him away to school. As time passed, he focused on his studies and pursued the seminary and medical school, always finding something to keep his mind too busy to remember. And when he found the comparisons to his father's renown medical career too overwhelming, he had taken refuge practicing medicine in the states.

But now, for the first time, Chase wasn't running. His work day was over and Cameron had offered him an exciting evening that would guarantee to take his mind off his troubled past, but he hadn't been able to leave the hospital.

He had cared about patients before, more than any of his co-workers could have known, wondering about them from time-to-time when he ate his dinner or watched TV. But Audrey had been the first to make him give up a night off voluntarily.

When he first came to Princeton, he had cared about no one but himself. After years of coming in second place behind his mother's raging troubles and his father's patients and new wife, he was ready to be a top priority and do whatever it took to secure a successful life and future outside of Australia.

But after working with someone as egotistical as House and as moralistic as Cameron, he had grown into a better man and doctor and fallen somewhere in-between. Heaving a tired sigh, he stepped into Audrey's room and quietly shut the door behind him when he found her sleeping.

He lifted the chart from the end of her bed and quietly read over her vitals, satisfied to see she hadn't gotten any worse or developed any new symptoms. After returning the chart, he reclined in the chair at Audrey's bedside, annoyed that it was empty.

Even if she wasn't a little girl or severely ill, she still should have had someone sitting at her side that cared. Her mother should been have been sitting in the chair or making phone calls, asking so many questions that she annoyed the staff, like most concerned parents did, not lying at home passed out and drunk.

Chase's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the gurney, remembering when he had been a teenager lying on one back in Australia. He had been suffering from stomach aches for days as he fought to keep up with school work and tend to his ailing mother, but when the pain grew too intense and he developed a high fever, he had broken down and called his father for help.

His father had given him a perfunctory exam and a sedative to his panicked mother to slip her into a temporary silence, then promptly drove him to the hospital to rule out appendicitis. But during the ultrasounds and exams, Rowan Chase was never at his son's side, choosing to tend to paperwork out in the waiting area until the nurses and doctors had finished.

And after Chase had been diagnosed with the stomach flu and advised to stay overnight to be treated for his fever and dehydration, his father was ready to go back home to his new wife.

_"I'm going to head out. It's not like you're a kid," his father had said_. "_You're fourteen, practically a man. Besides, there isn't anything more I can do for you. You understand, don't you?"_

_Chase had claimed to understand, although he had never accepted his father's decision to leave him. Through the night, he had awakened when a nurse came in to change his IV, calmed by the smile the older woman gave him when he looked up at her._

_"Hi, there, handsome," she greeted cheerfully. "Sorry I woke you, how are you feeling?"_

_"A little weak, but not so queasy," Chase mumbled. "Are you new?"_

_"Well, I've worked here twenty years. But I guess I am new to you since I just started my shift. I'm all finished here, so I'll be getting out of your way and letting you get back to your dreams. Hopefully you'll feel even better when you wake up."_

_"It's okay, I don't mind if you stay."_

_"Oh, maybe you don't, but I bet your father would when he comes in and sees me sitting in his chair."_

_"He won't. He went home."_

_The nurse mumbled under her breath, although Chase was fairly certain she had muttered a few expletives. _

_"It's okay," he insisted tiredly, "anyway, it's not like I'm a little kid."_

_"Maybe not," the nurse sighed, "but everyone needs somebody when they're feeling bad. I've got a few minutes to be spare," she said as she plopped down in the empty chair. "I'm Louise."_

_"I'm Robert."_

_"Pleasure to meet you, Robert," Louise replied as she reached over and took the Bible sitting beside his bed and placed it in her lap. "I'll sit here and read a little until you fall back asleep."_

_"You read the Bible?" Chase asked, truly intrigued. He had seen a Bible many times before, but he had never actually seen anyone read one._

_"Of course, this book keeps me going. You know, when my girls were young, I'd always read a little scripture to them before bed. Maybe reading a little would help you, too."_

_"Why not?" Chase replied casually, happy to get any help he could and give Louise a reason to stay._

_He had drifted to sleep, listening to Louise speak of heaven and angels. And when he woke up in the morning, he found Louise was still at his side, reading the Bible. Unlike his father, she had stayed with him when her shift ended._

Chase shook his head, almost wishing he could push the memories away. But he would never want to forget Louise. She had been the one to spark his interest in religion. If reading the Bible had made her such a pleasant, happy person he was willing to give it a try.

When he had escaped from home to spend an afternoon at the park or library, he sat and read the Bible, gaining strength and courage from the words. The stories had given him hope that one day his mother's troubles would end and his father would become a better man. And his belief had run so deep he had even turned to the seminary to learn more. But when a test came that he could not pass, he had turned away.

Tilting his head, Chase glanced at the complimentary Bible lying across from Audrey's bed. Now the precious words that had once given him faith seemed to hold more questions than answers.

Chase released a ragged breath as he stared at Audrey's gurney, wondering if anyone would sit with him if he ever became a patient again. Growing tired, he shut his eyes and leaned back in the chair, determined to stay a few more hours. To keep the chair in Audrey's room from being empty and return the special favor he had once been given.

OOOO

Chase slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the pain that vibrated through his foot as he woke up. He grimaced as he forced his tired eyes open and saw Dr. House roughly tapping his cane on his shoe.

"Rise and shine," House ordered.

"House," Chase moaned as he sat up and pulled his foot away, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, someone certainly is a cranky-pants in the morning," House commented as he gulped down part of a doughnut. "I was just coming to see this patient of yours'."

"Why? She has the flu."

"Because there's an anomaly," House said simply. "Who can resist an anomaly?"

"Her symptoms were a little vague at first, but not confusing, there isn't an anomaly in Audrey's case."

House rolled his eyes and walked to Audrey's bedside. "I never said she had an anomaly. _You_ are the anomaly."

"Excuse me?" Chase muttered as he rubbed his stiff neck and back, quickly regretting sleeping in a lumpy chair all night.

"You heard me. Since when do you care so much about patients? You're so attached you're making Cameron look tough."

"I am not attached. I was just looking in on her and dozed off, I was tired."

"Yeah, right, that's why you passed up an opportunity to boink Cameron. I can't believe she actually thought you'd spend a night covering for Foreman. The chick in here must be pretty special if you'd rather spend the night with her and not even get laid."

Chase sighed in annoyance. "Don't be crude. She's a teenager. And doctors don't sleep with their patients."

"Yeah, right. That's why Wilson uses medical records as his little black book. Besides, she may be a teenager, but a legal teenager. And even looking this pasty, she's quite pretty," House commented as he peered down at Audrey while she slept. "Don't tell me you didn't notice. After all, you and I once made a bet on the authenticity of a patient's breasts."

Chase turned his head and gazed at Audrey's face. House was right, she really was very pretty. In the past, he had enjoyed treating beautiful women, just like any man would. But when he looked at Audrey, he had only seen the pain in her eyes, not her delicate features.

"Now those knockers are definitely real. Nice."

Chase swore beneath his breath when he saw his boss staring at Audrey's chest. "What is wrong with you?! She's young enough to be your daughter, although entirely too stable to be your daughter!" he hissed in a whisper.

"Protective, huh?" House quipped, smiling smugly. "Newsflash: teenage girls don't want you to be their surrogate big brother; they want you to be their surrogate Ken doll at the prom. So tell me, is her dad a dead doctor or does mommy dearest have issues? I figured it has to be one of the two for you to suddenly adopt a kid sister. You know there was a time when I thought you would never want to add anyone to your family, but since daddy cut you out of his will, what does it matter now?"

Chase gritted his teeth and walked to the door, refusing to play along with House's mind games. "I'm going home to clean up, I'll see you later."

"Wait."

"What?" Chase groaned.

"You said her symptoms were a little vague at first. What were they?"

"Fatigue, weakness, dizziness and back pain. She was badly dehydrated and fainted. But I gave her something for the pain and fluids and she started doing better."

House's brow furrowed as he lifted Audrey's hand into his, examining her fingers. "So her nails weren't bluish then?"

"No. No, I never noticed it," Chase said as he hurried to Audrey's bedside. "Her lungs were clear, pulse was normal."

"When was the last time her temperature was taken?" House asked as he pressed his hand to Audrey's forehead.

Chase grabbed the chart. "A nurse checked an hour ago, it was up a tad, 100 even."

"Hand me a thermometer," House ordered. "And get her on a heart monitor."

Audrey stirred weakly as Chase began attaching tabs to her chest. "Dr. Chase," she whispered, "what's going-"

"Keep this under your tongue," House interrupted as he slid the thermometer into Audrey's mouth.

Chase cast a quick glare at his superior. "Sorry for the chaos and waking you, Audrey. We just wanted to check a few things," he explained as he watched the heart monitor light up. "She's..she's tachycardiac," he whispered to his boss in shock.

"And her temperature's shot up, 102.1," House added.

"Who are you?" Audrey asked nervously as she glanced up at the tall man with a cane.

"I'm Dr. House," the diagnostician said bluntly, "and you just became my patient."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Once again, thank you for the reviews. I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter and has a nice weekend/holiday.**

**Chapter Five**

"Differential diagnosis!" House hollered at his colleagues as he stood in front of his white board, marker in hand. "How do we help cure Chase's pet?"

"Do you have to talk about her like she's a puppy?" Chase asked, standing when the chair began worsening his stiff back and neck.

"Oh, shut up and get me a cup of Joe while you're up. And that means coffee, not adult kangaroo, by the way."

Chase rolled his eyes and walked over to the coffee pot, deciding he needed a cup himself to fight his lingering fatigue.

"This is the same girl Chase was treating yesterday?" Cameron asked.

House nodded. "Yeah, we know you're jealous. Don't bother pouting."

"I saw her myself and she didn't have the elevated fever or pulse," Cameron said evenly. "When did that start?"

"About an hour ago," Chase answered as he poured the coffee. "House noticed her fingernails had a blue tint."

Foreman cleared his throat when he finished skimming through the file. "Are you certain this case needs our attention? This could just be pneumonia kicking in. It's not uncommon for pneumonia to present with the symptoms of influenza and then progress rapidly."

"True," House acknowledged. "But if you had bothered looking at the chest x-ray from yesterday, you'd see it's perfectly clear, the symptoms of pneumonia can spiral that quickly, but not the illness itself. And considering how badly you deal with boredom, you should be grateful someone managed to interest me."

"I know Chase tested for strep, but maybe we should test again," Cameron suggested. "If he got a false result, she could be going into Rheumatic fever, that would explain the jolt in her fever and pulse."

"Doubtful, but we'll give it a try," House said. "And we'll start wide-spectrum antibiotics to cover our ass and hers' for other bacterial infections. What else? Come on, Chase, surely you must have some ideas by now, you've dealt with her from the very beginning."

"Yeah, what were her symptoms during the first visit?" Foreman questioned.

"Nothing significant, she was a little achy, but mainly just exhausted," Chase explained cautiously. "I told her to take a day off from school to rest. I'm not really sure what could cause this sudden change right now, the best I can come up with is the plague."

"Is that really the best?" House challenged mockingly.

"You want me to lie?"

"Why not? Everybody does. But we'll isolate the girl to keep Cuddy from getting her panties in a twist. I'd hate to ruin a good thong."

"And what's your idea?" Chase retorted.

House shrugged. "Well, STDs are always fun. Or at least asking embarrassing questions about someone's sex life is fun."

"Don't bother," Chase said. "She's a virgin."

"Yeah, right. She's eighteen and pretty."

Cameron crossed her arms. "And pretty eighteen-year-olds can't have morals?"

"Oh, please," House groaned with an eye roll. "You lost the right to preach about morals a long time ago. Face it, I've rubbed off on you and now you can lie and cheat like everyone else."

Foreman gave a bitter sigh. "Excuse me, but how is rambling about our doubtful ideas and Cameron's behavior going to help this girl? Is there anything useful you'd like us to do?"

"Isn't it obvious? It's field trip time!" House announced. "You two," he said, swinging his cane at Chase and Foreman. "Go check out the home for clues and find someone other than Chase that gives a shit about this kid. And you," he added as he pointed his cane at Cameron, "go check out the gift shop where she works and bring me back some chocolates."

OOOO

"This is where she lives?" Foreman asked as he stared at the old apartment complex filled with litter and graffiti. "No one wonder she's sick. Is that a needle?" he wondered as he looked down at the dead grass.

"Oh, so you judge rich kids and poor kids?" Chase quipped as he entered the building. "Nice to know you're an equal opportunist, Foreman."

Foreman groaned as he followed. "Don't play high and mighty with me. You saw the damn needle. The good news for us is that we should have no problem breaking into her apartment, bad news for anyone that lives here. Low income housing normally means low income security."

"Who says we have to break in?" Chase replied as he pulled a key out of his leather jacket.

"You mean to tell me this girl trusts you so much, she just handed over her house key?"

"Not exactly. I got it out of her purse while she was being moved to another room."

"Sneaky and rich, that's a scary thought," Foreman commented.

"I'm not rich," Chase said tiredly as he walked up to the second floor, feeling the pain in his neck and back increase with each step. "How many times do I have to say it? My dad was rich, not me."

"Fine, whatever you say. Let's just find the apartment and get out of here. What's the number?"

"213."

"It's right here," Foreman said as he walked ahead and turned the corner. "Come on, Chase, hurry up. Didn't that coffee give you any energy?"

"Apparently not, just calm down," Chase yawned as he knocked on the door.

"What are you doing?" Foreman sighed. "Since when do we knock?"

"House said we were supposed to find someone that knew something about Audrey, would you want someone to just storm into your home?" Chase questioned awkwardly, instead of telling his colleague his own vivid memories of disturbing a drunk without warning that ended with violent consequences.

"Fine, knock."

Chase knocked loudly, waiting impatiently for an answer, hoping for the best, but expecting the worse.

"Satisfied now?" Foreman asked after a couple of minutes passed.

Chase nodded and stuck the key into the door. "Yeah."

"Wow," Foreman said as the door opened and he looked inside the apartment. "This place looks cleaner than parts of the hospital. I guess just because the lot is a mess doesn't mean your apartment has to be."

Chase smiled as he looked around the perfectly kept living room, not at all surprised to find the secondhand furniture free of any dust or dirt. Undoubtedly, Audrey had been to trying to find order in her chaotic life the only way she could, just as so many other troubled people had when their lives were turned upside down, himself included.

"I'm going to grab some samples," Foreman said as he walked into the kitchen. "I'll check the water and paint for contamination, the risk goes up in older places."

"I'll look through the bedrooms," Chase retorted as he headed down the short, narrow hallway. He entered the first bedroom he found and looked around the small, plain room carefully, only certain when he saw a work schedule from Gloria's Gift Shop hanging on the wall that he had found Audrey's bedroom. The room appeared to be a reflection of Audrey's sad life, free of posters of rock stars and actors and other normal displays of teenage youth.

Chase looked through her drawers, closet and bed sheets, but found nothing out of the ordinary. He sat down on the bed when he had finished, feeling winded and achy from crawling around. As he turned his head from side-to-side, trying to relieve his stiff neck, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror attached to the dresser. He grimaced at the sight of the stubble shadowing his chin and cheeks and the redness circling his eyes.

"Ah, crap," he groaned. "I look like House."

He pulled himself to his feet and walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer where he had seen a bottle of Advil. Knowing he barely had enough energy left in him to conduct a simple search, he found the pills and swallowed a couple, needing any help he could get to deal with House when he returned to the hospital. Uncertain of what the day would hold, he slipped two extra tablets into his pocket in case he needed them later and slid the bottle back into the drawer.

"Hey, Chase," Foreman said as he stuck his head into the room, "you finished yet?"

"Yeah," Chase answered. "I didn't find anything important."

"Nothing?" Foreman challenged. "No signs of drugs, a secret boyfriend or even a pet?"

"No," Chase responded, annoyed by Foreman's prodding. "The only drugs she had was a bottle of Advil and she doesn't even have a stuffed animal, let alone a pet."

"What girl doesn't have teddy bears lying around? I've dated women in their thirties that still liked those things."

"A girl who is too busy selling teddy bears in a gift shop," Chase replied somberly. "Are you done searching?"

"I just need to take a look at the bathroom."

"All right, I'll go check the last bedroom, then we can get out of here."

Chase followed Foreman out of Audrey's room and paused in the doorway, staring at the closed door across from him that he knew Audrey's mother might behind. His stomach churned as he remembered his mother hiding away in her bedroom after his father had left them, only getting out of bed to get more pills or alcohol to put her back to sleep. And one morning when he went into her bedroom, he found her dead.

With a shaky hand, Chase turned the doorknob, gasping as strong fumes of old cigarette smoke and stale alcohol swept out. He coughed roughly and pulled a mask and gloves out of his bag and covered his face and hands.

Carefully, he stepped into the room, finding it impossible to not step on the dirty clothing or empty alcohol or prescription bottles and cigarette packages that covered the floor. He shook his head, knowing Audrey must have given up trying to keep the room clean long ago.

He swallowed roughly when he looked at the bed and saw a few waves of auburn hair, the same color as Audrey's slipping out from beneath the piles of blankets layering the bed. From a moment, he was torn between waking the woman and demanding she go sit at her sick daughter's bedside or silently turning away to save Audrey from dealing with her mother when only she needed to think about herself.

Reluctantly Chase walked around the bed, kicking away the trash on the floor to see if he could find anything hidden in the mess that could have been responsible for Audrey's illness. He squinted when he came across a broken bottle of beer stained with blood.

"Son of a bitch," he swore as he lifted his gaze to a gray, lifeless hand dripping with blood that laid above the bottle. "Ma'am!" Chase shouted as he threw the blankets off the bed and flipped the frail woman onto her back. "Mrs. Meadows, can you hear me?" he asked as he searched for a pulse.

"Chase, what's going on?" Foreman asked as he ran into the room, struggling to reach the bed through the clutter.

"Come help me!" Chase hollered. "We need to start CPR."

"Look at her, Chase, it's pointless," Foreman sighed. "She's been dead for hours."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six **

Chase sat silently as Foreman drove behind the ambulance, following the EMTs to Princeton Plainsboro. He shuddered as he glanced at the still lights and listened to the silence, envious of the other drivers and passengers on the road who didn't know the ambulance was bringing in a DOA.

He shut his eyes when the sunlight shining through the window began to sting, vividly seeing the image of the ambulance pulling in front of his childhood home in Australia replaying in his mind.

_"I-I found her like this," he had stammered to the paramedics as they skillfully lifted his mother onto the stretcher. "I've been calling her name for at least twenty minutes." _

_ "I see," one of them replied quietly. "Well, you were smart to call for help." _

_ Chase groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'm almost sixteen; don't talk to me like I'm a kid. Which hospital are you taking her to? My father is a doctor at Saint Anne's, could you take her there?" _

_ "Sure," the worker said somberly as he and his partner rolled the stretcher outside. "Are you riding there with us?" he asked uncomfortably. _

_ "No," a deep voice said. "He'll ride with me." _

_ Chase turned his head as he walked into the yard, relieved to see his father standing in the driveway. "Father!" he shouted, running toward him. "Come help! No one can wake her!" _

_ "Stay there, Robert," his father ordered as he followed the paramedics. "I'll take a look." _

_ Chase watched helplessly as his father stepped into the ambulance, returning only a few minutes later. _

_ "You should stay with her," Chase insisted, watching with wide eyes as the ambulance drove off silently. "She needs help, you're a doctor. I can a get ride to the hospital from a neighbor. Why aren't they turning on the sirens and lights?" _

_ "You never do for a DOA," his father said plainly. _

_ "What?" _

_ "DOA- dead on arrival. Your mother is gone, Robert. Come on now, you're a smart boy, you had to know she was already gone." _

_ "No..no, I didn't," Chase muttered weakly, struggling to breathe. "People go into comas, it might just be a coma. Did you check her?" _

_ "Robert, take a deep breath, there's no point in getting hysterical. You had to know this was coming. Maybe it's for the best." _

_ "The best?" Chase hissed. "How could you say that?!" _

_ "Because it's true," Rowan said simply. "Now, get into the car." _

_ "No, I'll walk." _

_ "Robert, come back! Don't go walking off like a fool, blaming yourself." _

_ Chase paused and turned around, staring directly into his father's uncaring eyes. "I don't blame myself, father. I blame you." _

"Chase! Chase!"

Chase blinked and turned his head once he heard Foreman saying his name loudly. "Wh-what?"

"Did you just fall asleep? What is with you today?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking."

"Well, we're here," Foreman announced as he parked his car. "We need to follow the paramedics inside."

"Yeah, of course," Chase muttered as he followed behind Foreman.

"Hello, menions!" House greeted vibrantly as he limped into the parking lot. "You two can go now," he said to the paramedics after they had lowered the stretcher to the ground. "I can see you've already worked your magic on this patient. Better luck next time."

"House, what are you doing here?" Foreman asked.

House rolled his blue eyes. "I just hadn't insulted any paramedics lately so I thought I'd come insult the wannabe docs on wheels. I'm here to see that we get the dead mom to the morgue immediately for an autopsy so we can to try to avoid giving her daughter one. Now why don't you two push the gurney inside before the wind blows the sheet covering her off."

Chase's eyes widened angrily as he helped Foreman wheel the gurney, struggling to keep up with the neurologist. "Audrey consented? You told her that her mom is dead?"

"Oh, relax, I haven't told her yet. I've decided to leave you that honor since you're her favorite. Cameron's with her now being all caring and cuddly, trying to soften the upcoming blow."

Foreman shook his head. "You didn't get a consent form? You want us to perform an illegal autopsy?"

"Chill, bro," House said sarcastically as they walked into the elevator. "The kid's got a fever of 103 degrees and rising, all we have to do is slip her a paper and tell her to sign it, she's too sick to bother reading it."

"Her fever's gone up?" Chase worried.

"Yeah, and fluid's beginning to build up in her lungs, so I suggest we hurry up this autopsy, instead of repeating the obvious."

"Well, you can do whatever you like," Foreman said as the elevator doors opened to the morgue. "But I'm not helping you."

"Fine, go upstairs and test the samples you found and Cameron brought back. And if you touch one of my chocolates, you're fired."

"Careful with the first cut," Foreman warned as he held the door open and Chase pushed the gurney out. "You might find alcohol pouring out of her veins."

"Don't worry, Chase is immune," House quipped.

"I'm not helping you," Chase said sharply, repulsed by the feeling of death that hung in the air and stale smell of drugs and alcohol that lingered on his clothing from the mother's bedroom.

"Scared of the big, bad Cuddy?"

"No," Chase sighed as he walked back to the elevator. "I'm just not doing it," he mumbled, refusing to admit assisting with an autopsy on Audrey's mother would practically be as disgusting as performing one on his own. "And another thing," he said, raising his voice and speaking clearly, "no one is telling Audrey her mother is dead. You hear me? No one."

"Chase, that's insane," Foreman replied. "She has a right to know."

"She will soon enough," Chase insisted. "For now she has enough to deal with, she could even be fighting for her own life for all we know, the last thing she needs is to find out that her mother's is over."

Foreman crossed his arms. "House, you can't agree with this."

House shrugged. "Chase's decision stands because he knows her best and I just like the fact that it'll piss you off."

OOOO

Chase ran his hands through his wet hair, trying to shake off some of the excess water from his shower. After finding Audrey's mother dead body, he had needed a hot shower so badly he didn't care if he had to use the staff's communal facilities. He had hoped to wash away his own memories and soothe his aches and pains; but the water had only washed away the smell of booze and cigarette smoke that had lingered on his clothing.

He winced as he pulled on a pair of scrubs, barely able to stand upright without sharp pains shooting through his back. Wearily he glanced at the bag he had stuffed his clothes into, tempted to pull out the tablets of Advil lying in his pants pocket. Unable to stand the thought of dealing with the horrific smell again, he shoved the bag into a locker and stepped into the hall.

With a deep breath, Chase walked into the elevator and pressed a button. He rested against the wall as the machine lowered and prepared himself to return to the morgue. Although he hated the thought of seeing Mrs. Meadows body again, he wanted to know if House had found any clues that might help them treat Audrey's mystery illness.

When he reached the morgue, he heard two angry voices shouting back and forth, knowing automatically that Cuddy had found out about House's newest illegal activities. Chase stepped out silently when the doors opened, watching Dr. Cuddy pace back and forth.

"Are you out of your mind?" the Dean of Medicine fumed. "How hard is it to ask the daughter to sign a simple piece of paper?"

"Don't blame me," House said smugly as he lifted his gaze from the body. "Blame the wombat behind you."

"Chase!" Cuddy gasped as she spun around. "You knew about this?"

Chase shrugged and immediately regretted it when his body ached in protest. "We need to find out what's wrong with Audrey. And consent takes time and we don't know how much time we have."

"It doesn't take that much time," Cuddy argued. "Why wasn't the daughter consented?"

"Yeah, Chase?" House echoed. "Why wasn't she?"

"Because you didn't bother asking," Chase answered honestly. "You didn't want to risk her saying 'no'."

"True. But I know I had some other reason why this is your fault…Ah, yes, you don't want us telling Adrienne her mother is dead."

"Her name is Audrey. And, no, I don't want her to know. I told you she doesn't need to be stressed out, she's already very ill."

Cuddy sighed. "That I can agree with. I hope this damn autopsy was worth it."

"No, it was a bust," House said simply as he zipped up a body bag. "Mom may have had cancer, cirrhosis, been a smoker, pill popper and an alcoholic, but her lungs still look better than Adrienne's did in her last x-ray."

"Audrey!" Chase hissed.

"Whatever."

"So what did she die of?" Cuddy inquired. "Cancer?"

"If you ask me, she probably killed herself with a cocktail of painkillers and alcohol that didn't mix, or maybe that actually was the mix she wanted, who knows. Anyway, toxicology reports can figure it out and let me get back to my soaps."

"Why bother?" Chase interjected. "After all, this wasn't even illegal, why risk letting anyone know with toxicology reports?"

House smirked. "Despite your amazing ability to kiss my ass, I doubt you're coming up with this to help me out. What's the deal?"

"I just mean she's already dead and it has nothing to do with Audrey, why bother further investigation?"

"And prove it was suicide or accidental death?" House countered. "That is what you're getting at, isn't it?"

Chase released an agitated sigh. "Fine, maybe I am. I just know there's a sick teenager upstairs that has been keeping her crappy excuse for a mother alive for years. The one night she needed someone to take care of her, the mother dies. She doesn't need to be wondering if things would have been different if she were there; and she doesn't need anyone trying to find a reason not to give her the life insurance money. They're poor. Chances are, if her mother even had life insurance they have a clause exempting them from paying in suicide and accidental deaths."

"Chase," Cuddy whispered, "it's really very sweet that you want to help this girl. But you can't tamper with records."

"Oh, really?" Chase challenged. "That's kind of funny coming from a lady who committed perjury to save House's ass from a jail cell."

"Careful, Cuddy," House warned as the female doctor faltered to reply, "I've heard wombats can be vicious when protecting their young."

"All right," Cuddy said as she gathered the blank autopsy report House had been too lazy to fill out. "I'll fill out the report myself; I'm listing cancer as the cause of death."

"Oh, Cuddy!" House called out as his boss stepped into the elevator. "Even though I love what huffing and puffing does to your chest, you can relax. Foreman slid the consent form into a stack of nonsense papers for the girl to sign. Who'd think a former delinquent would use a con to follow the law? Gotta' love the irony."

"I'm going back upstairs to check on Audrey," Chase told House after the elevator doors closed behind Cuddy.

"Wait a second and I'll go with you. Although I'll admit things aren't as fun now that it's plainly obvious why you're so attached. Two kids with alcoholic mothers, dead dads and great hair."

"Would you give it a rest?"

"Oh, fine, don't be a spoilsport. Now get over here and help me move the alcoholic to her new home."

Chase swallowed roughly as he watched House point to the large drawers. "Why can't you do it on your own?"

"Because it's kind of hard to push a gurney and lift a body with one these," House replied easily as he lifted his cane.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Chase mumbled as he helped House roll the gurney across the room and open the long drawer. He quickly looked away from the darkness hiding behind the shiny metal and gripped the bag weakly.

"On three," House ordered.

Chase lifted when the count ended, locking his knees as they threatened to buckle beneath the weight.

"That's pathetic," House said frankly. "That woman couldn't have weighed more than 100 pounds."

"My body is stiff," Chase retorted as he quickly turned away from his boss, refusing to let House see him wince from the pain that shot through his back and legs. "I slept in a chair all night."

"Funny when I wake up something else is always stiff," House shared smugly as he slowly made his way into the elevator. "Now let's go see Audrey."

"You actually called her by the right name," Chase observed as he slouched against the elevator wall as they moved upward. "That means you give a damn now."

House rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter me. I'm just tired of seeing you pout; it's not nearly as attractive as you think it is."

"Whatever," Chase groaned, forcing himself upright when they reached their floor number. "Is this where Foreman was?" he asked as he glanced at the clear walls surrounding each room and the protective barriers separating the doctors from their patients, remembering when he had to wear to a heavy plastic suit to even take a sample of blood from his co-worker after he had contracted an unknown parasitic infection.

"Yep. Home sweet home."

"Do we have to wear the space suits to see Audrey?" Chase asked as he followed House to the end of the hall, looking through the clear glass at Audrey as she tossed and turned in a restless sleep.

"No, you don't."

"Thank God," Chase praised as he stepped through the electronic doors. "That was a nightmare. I see Cameron started her on oxygen," he said as he glanced at the mask strapped to Audrey's face. "What percentage?" he asked as he grabbed the chart.

Chase rolled his eyes when House didn't reply, quickly growing impatient. "House, do you know the percentage? I don't see it written-" he paused as he turned, surprised when he saw House entering the room wearing a mask and gloves.

"What?" House asked, deadpan. "Now I was nice and didn't dress up like a medical astronaut, it's obvious you and the suit have issues. I could send a therapist down if you like."

"You said I didn't have to wear the suit."

"That's right, _you _don't."

"Then why are you?" Chase challenged nervously.

"Because I'm not sick and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Neither am I!"

"Right," House replied sarcastically as he pulled back the curtain in front of Audrey's gurney, revealing the empty bed across from it. "That's why you've been stiff all day, you can't stand up straight or even lift a few pounds. Make yourself comfortable."

"It wasn't a few pounds."

"I've seen you help move a 600 pound man, give it up."

"I am not sick!" Chase repeated.

House squinted. "Then why are you flushed?"

"I-I-"Chase stammered, pressing his hands to his cheeks, alarmed when he felt the warmth spreading onto his fingers. "Fine, maybe I caught a cold. But it doesn't mean I have what Audrey has. She was severely dehydrated, had intense back pain and she fainted."

"She's smaller and younger than you, it wouldn't be uncommon for her to struggle more at first. Now sit down and put this under your tongue," House demanded as he shoved a thermometer into his hand.

"Fine," Chase relented, "I'll prove I'm okay."

Bitterly, Chase turned on the thermometer and slid it under his tongue, waiting impatiently for his temperature to register. He held back a groan as House grabbed his wrist and wrote down his pulse, then shone a penlight into his eyes.

When the thermometer sounded, he quickly reached up to grasp it, but House pushed his hand away and removed it himself.

"Well?" Chase prompted.

House simply turned the thermometer around and held it front of his eyes. Chase felt his heartbeat rise as he read the number: 99.4.

"It's only a low grade fever," he fought.

"So was Audrey's in the beginning. Give me your wrist," House ordered.

"Why? You already took my pulse."

"I'm making things official," House said as he snapped a hospital bracelet around Chase's wrist.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for all of the wonderful feedback I received for the last chapter, it really meant a lot to me. I hope you'll enjoy the latest chapter. Also, there are spoilers for 'Euphoria'.**

**Chapter Seven**

"Chase, you have to hold still," Cameron said as she struggled to monitor his vital signs. "If you don't relax, I'm not going to get accurate readings. It's hard enough trying to do the simplest thing in this suit, let alone doing it while you're squirming around."

"Sorry," Chase apologized halfheartedly as he tried to watch Foreman as he treated Audrey. "Maybe I should help him," he said. "I've performed a thoracentesis plenty of times in the ICU. He's a neurologist; he may not be as up-to-date."

"Chase, Foreman is a good doctor and he knows what he's doing. Maybe he hasn't had to remove fluid from someone's lungs often on neurological cases, but he's had plenty of practice since he began working for House. Heck, I'd even trust him to do the procedure on me."

"So would I," Chase admitted in a whisper. "I just thought if I did the procedure…Then maybe I would feel like a doctor again and not a patient."

"But, Chase, you are a patient."

"Yeah, I know," Chase grumbled as he glanced at his hospital gown and the IV House had insisted on. "Three hours ago, I was Audrey's doctor, now I'm her roommate."

With a sigh, Chase lied down and allowed Cameron to check his blood pressure and pulse. He stared blankly at the ceiling above him.

"Did you know the ceiling is painted a darker color than the walls?" he asked Cameron randomly.

"No, I never really noticed."

"Yeah, me either, until I saw things from this point-of-view."

Although Chase had been working in hospitals for years, he suddenly felt like a stranger in Princeton Plainsboro. Everything seemed different now that he was a patient. For the first time he saw the bright lights, heard the strange sounds and smelled the unfamiliar scents so many of his patients had been fearful of.

"All right, all done," Cameron announced as she removed a thermometer from Chase's ear. "I just need to draw some blood."

"How does everything look?"

"Fine. Your pulse and blood pressure are normal, temp's up just a bit 99.7. How are you feeling? I know House gave you some Demerol for pain a couple of hours ago."

Chase grimaced at the memory. It had only been when the back pain he had been experiencing suddenly became excruciating that he had finally stopped arguing with House about being a patient and accepted that he was really was sick.

"It helped. The pain isn't nearly as bad now."

"Good. Any new symptoms? Headache? Cough?" Cameron prodded as she tied a tourniquet around Chase's arm.

"No. How are you? Did you check your sed rate?"

"My sed rate is fine. And so are the others."

"And mine?"

"It's elevated," Cameron murmured. "But you know, it's still not for certain that you and Audrey have the same illness."

Chase smiled weakly at Cameron's attempt to be optimistic. "I wish I could believe you, but things have been far too coincidental."

"Well, even if you do have the same thing, it doesn't mean you won't get better. House will figure it out. He's downstairs right now with Cuddy searching through that old storage room that had been used as a clinic when you first saw Audrey for samples."

"House is taking samples?" Chase asked skeptically.

"Not exactly, he's making shrewd comments to Cuddy while she has Med. students wipe down every inch of the room."

"Does he think the answer is in the room or is he desperate?"

"A little of both," Cameron admitted as she successfully found a vein and filled a couple of vials with blood. "So far none of our leads have been promising. But that room had been left unattended for a couple of years before it was cleaned out, there easily could have been something in there that made you both sick."

"Then why only the two of us?"

"I don't know," Cameron told him honestly. "But you're going to get better, Chase. You have to get better."

Chase squinted as he looked at the compassion and sympathy glistening in Cameron's eyes. Although he knew she genuinely cared, he knew her concern for him wasn't anything special. He had seen the same concern sparkling in her eyes for many patients who had been treated before him, including Audrey. And although he appreciated her kindness, he longed for someone, anyone, to come visit him whose concern went beyond the normal worries of a doctor or co-worker.

"Is there anyone you want us to call?"

Chase held back a sigh as he listened to the question Cameron had asked Audrey only yesterday that proved he was truly alone. "No," he whispered. "There's no one."

"Are you sure? Siblings? Friends? You have a stepmother, don't you?"

"Yes, but I assure you she won't want to travel to a different continent just because I have a mild fever and back pain."

"I can stay with you for a while," Cameron offered.

"No, that's okay," Chase insisted, unable to stand being pitied. "Besides, you need to be with House trying to figure this all out."

"All right, but I'll come back later, I promise."

"Thanks," Chase replied numbly, turning his attention to Foreman as Cameron walked away. He sat up tiredly and watched anxiously as Foreman finished performing the thoracentetis, struggling to see the amount of fluid he had collected from Audrey's lungs . "How is she?" he asked.

"She's holding her own. And breathing a little easier now," Foreman answered evenly as he removed the oxygen mask covering Audrey's face. "I'm going to switch her to a nasal canula for a bit, hopefully we'll be able to cut down the oxygen percentage now that the fluid is decreased."

Chase swallowed roughly as he heard Foreman's tone, having worked with him long enough to know when his even words were a disguise for uncertainty. "How is she really doing?" he whispered when the neurologist reached his bedside.

"Struggling," Foreman murmured. "We haven't been able to get her temperature any lower than 103, even with medication, we're only able to keep it from rising. And she's still having spells of tachycardia. And you know how rapidly her lung function has been decreasing."

"Yeah, I know," Chase replied as he rubbed his forehead. "And to think yesterday I told her the problem wasn't in her lungs."

"Yesterday it wasn't. I saw the x-rays myself, yesterday her lungs were clear," Foreman agreed as he opened a small alcohol swab. "Do me a favor and lay your arm over here, I need to check something before I go."

"You're testing for TB now?" Chase said as he glanced at the familiar test Foreman was prepping him for.

Foreman nodded. "Yeah, House said if the fluid I removed looked suspicious, you should both be tested."

"You found blood?" Chase assumed, lowering his voice so Audrey wouldn't hear.

"Yes, decent amount," Foreman retorted. "And I had to remove a significant amount of fluid, but I know I still didn't get it all. I'm pretty sure we'll have to remove more in just a few hours."

"TB wouldn't come on this quickly and progress so rapidly," Chase said matter-of-factly as his co-worker pricked his arm and drew a circle around the lump the needle left behind with a marker.

"I know, but there are different strains. It's worth a shot."

"Even though we both know it will come back negative. What do you really think it is?"

"Honestly, I think it's Legionnaires. It explains the rising fever and lung problems and it could have been spread through a vent in the storage area or by a patient only the two of you really came in contact with. Do you remember seeing anyone with similar symptoms that day?"

"No, of course not," Chase retorted tiredly. "If I had, I would've said something hours ago."

"It might be easy to forget."

"Not hardly, that day was hellacious. I vividly remember dealing with crazy deadbeats, students faking illness, griping old people. If it's Legionnaire's the antibiotics Audrey had been given should have helped."

"It could be a fungal strain. At least now we have the fluid from Audrey's lungs to test, maybe the answer will be in there. And you can beat Legionnaire's, just like I did after House deliberately infected me."

"It must be hard on you being back in here," Chase assumed.

Foreman nodded as he glanced at his protective suit and clear walls. "Yeah, it's not exactly my favorite place, even when I'm on the other side of things. I'm sorry you're having to go through this, too."

Chase lifted his head, surprised by Foreman's sincerity. "Thanks, but other than the severe back pain, nothing has been too bad. I'm not suffering like you were."

"Not yet," Foreman whispered. "Think about it, Chase, you're following Audrey's pattern, you're just a day behind. Have you thought about a proxy?"

"That's a bit excessive, don't you think? Contrary to what House might believe, I'm still perfectly competent and able to make my own decisions."

Foreman shrugged. "I'm not trying to freak you out, but I know I'm glad I had Cameron to speak for me when I was in here so I didn't end up being a lab rat House could do whatever he liked with."

Chase felt his pulse quickening as Foreman's suggestion rang in his ears. He didn't know what worried him more: the idea of being too sick to make his own decisions and leaving his life in someone else's hands or not being able to think of anyone who would stand up for him when the time came.

"I'll think about it."

"Good. Well, I guess I should get going. You need to rest and I need to start testing."

"Wait. Do you have any results yet? From the samples we took at Audrey's apartment."

"Everything is coming back negative, Chase, I'm sorry. Is there anything you got into that we didn't get a sample of? How about the mother's bedroom? Everything was so chaotic after our unfortunate discovery, our search ended abruptly."

Chase chewed on his lip as he recalled the gruesome event. "No…No, I don't think so. I didn't go through the garbage and I was wearing gloves for protection. If I had breathed something in, you must have too, and you're fine."

Foreman nodded. "True. And I know you didn't pick up anything from Audrey's room, it's cleaner than the clinic."

"Wait," Chase whispered as he mentally retraced his footsteps. "That's it. I was feeling so sore…"

"Chase, none of this is making any sense."

"I found some Advil in Audrey's dresser," Chase explained hurriedly. "I took a couple. It must have been the tablets, they must have been contaminated!"

"Now, hold on," Foreman said rationally. "Don't get yourself too excited until we've ran some tests. I don't even have any samples yet."

"I do. Downstairs in my locker; I had grabbed a few extra in case the pain came back or got worse. They're in my jacket pocket."

Foreman quickly stood and raced to the door. "All right, I'll go downstairs and look. I may have to go back to the apartment and get the bottle to test all of the pills, but at least this will give us a start!"

"You'll find the keys to my apartment there, too."

"Huh?"

Chase cracked a weak smile. "C'mon, I'm trying to spare myself a broken window or door. I know House is going to send you to break into my place to search for clues."

"And for his own sick curiosity," Foreman added. "I'll send word to you as soon as I know something."

Tiredly, Chase pulled himself to his feet, too anxious to lye in bed another moment. He glanced at Audrey and sighed when he saw her shivering uncontrollably under her thin bed sheets.

He reached out and pulled off one of the sheets lying on his gurney and carefully walked to Audrey's bedside, pitying the hundreds of patients who walked the halls, dragging IVs with them.

Chase unraveled the blanket and began draping it over Audrey, surprised when she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hey there," he whispered, "I didn't know you were awake, but I guess it would be pretty hard to sleep when you're feeling so cold. We need to try to get your chills under control, shivering can actually raise a fever. Maybe this will make you feel a bit better."

"Please don't do that," Audrey whispered as she turned her head away.

"Do what?" Chase asked. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"No, of course not. You've given me exams, drawn my blood and even looked at my urine, having you drape a blanket over me would hardly make me uncomfortable. It was nice, that's the problem."

"What do you mean, Audrey?"

"I already feel guilty that you're in here. You were the first person I thought really cared about me in ages. And now because you cared, you're sick and it's my fault. You should be hating me not helping me."

"Audrey," Chase said softly, "Audrey, look at me. This is not your fault. And I don't want you wasting any of your energy worrying about me."

Chase smiled when Audrey's face relaxed and she looked up at him. Even though he was being entirely truthful when he had told her to save her energy, deep down, he had been touched by her selflessness.

"Do you feel up to talking?" Audrey asked wearily.

"It doesn't matter whether I do or not," Chase replied as he glanced at her brightly flushed cheeks and listened to her labored breathing. "You shouldn't be. You need to be resting. I don't even know how you're finding enough strength to talk to me."

"You just can't quit being a doctor, can you?" Audrey said knowingly.

"Guilty as charged. I guess a little talking would be okay," Chase relented, taking a seat on the side of Audrey's gurney when his back began to ache. "Did you have questions about your treatment?"

"No," Audrey whispered. "That's the last thing I want to talk about. Actually I wanted to talk to try to forget about the machines and IVs. Why don't you tell me about yourself? You know plenty about me, but I barely know anything about you."

"You don't want to know about me, I'm boring."

"I don't believe you. You told me you've been where I am before, anyone that's gone through something that hard can't be boring. Damaged maybe, but not boring."

"You're a wise girl and more observant than most," Chase complimented.

"Observing is the only thing I'm really strong enough to do anymore," Audrey murmured. "So, are you from Australia?"

"Yeah, and thanks for not assuming I was British, by the way."

"Do you miss it?"

"No, not really," Chase answered, sighing at the realization that he really didn't have anyone or anything to miss in Australia. "Mangoes, I guess," he said with a tired chuckle. "The mangoes aren't as good here."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, it's not like mangoes are important."

"You know I wasn't talking about mangoes," Audrey said softly. "I'm sorry you don't miss it. If you don't miss it, there must be reason why, obviously not a good one."

"I'm beginning to think you're smarter than some of the psychologists around here," Chase muttered. "There's just not really anything for me to go back for."

"You don't have any friends or family?"

"No, not really. My dad died last year and it's not like we ever had a great relationship to begin with."

"Is that why you relate to me so well?" Audrey asked in a sympathetic whisper. "Because you're alone?"

"I wish that were the only reason," Chase replied sadly. "When I met you, I saw myself in your eyes. I spent part of my teen years caring for my mother too, she was an alcoholic."

"Was?"

Chase nodded. "Yeah, she died over ten years ago."

"I'm sorry. Was she always an alcoholic? Oh, wait, I'm sorry," Audrey apologized. "I shouldn't have asked that. I…just…well," she stammered meekly. "I was curious because my mom always has been as far back as I can remember. I just wondered if you had any good memories of your mom to block out the bad ones."

Chase sat for a moment, pondering Audrey question. Ever since his mother's death, he had only thought of the horrible things that had happened. The nights he spent holding her hair back while she vomited, held her while she sobbed over his father's departure and the morning he found her dead.

"There were good memories," Chase said as a faint smile surfaced, "before she buried herself in the bottle after my father left. Actually I have a lot of good memories from my childhood of her. She was good mom, read me stories, played sports with me as best as she could, trying to be mom and dad since my father worked so many hours in his practice. She came to every football game and violin recital. She always believed in me."

"Losing her must have been hard."

"It was, but now I know I had lost her long before she died. How about you?" Chase questioned, quickly growing tired of talking about himself. "I know your life has been tough, but do you have any pleasant memories?"

"A few of my dad," Audrey shared fondly. "I know it may seem hard to believe my dad could have been a good guy since he took his own life and left me to deal with everything; but he really was. He loved me."

"That's the most important thing," Chase replied as he recalled the advice he had given Foreman's father when he was worried he may see his son for the last time. _"Just tell him you love him," _he had whispered, telling Mr. Foreman what he had wished his father had told him before it was too late.

"And your dad? Do you have any good memories of him?" Audrey asked.

"Um, it's hard to say," Chase stuttered. "My mother was an alcoholic, my dad was a workaholic. We never really had a chance at a good relationship. Tell me about your dad."

"He was a simple man. It may not seem like much, but I can remember him hanging up the drawings and paintings I made him as a kid on the fridge. He was so proud of me and thought I could grow up to be a real artist some day. That's what I miss most, his encouragement."

"Maybe he was right, maybe you will be."

"Oh, I doubt it. I haven't picked up a sketch pad or paintbrush in over a year. I used to take classes at school, but this year I was too tired to handle any unnecessary electives, I took study hall just so I could have time to breathe. Do you still play violin or sports?"

"No, it's not practical. I don't even know if I could remember how to hold a violin properly."

"Maybe it's like riding a bike," Audrey said, "maybe if you picked one up, you'd remember."

"I don't have one anymore," Chase retorted somberly, still heartbroken as he remembered when his father had told him he had thrown the violin his mother had given him into the garbage.

"Oh, that's-" Audrey's words trailed off suddenly and were replaced by loud, hacking coughs as she gasped for breath.

Chase immediately rose to his feet and gently pulled Audrey forward, trying to ease the pressure that had returned to her lungs. "All right, it's time for this conversation to end," he ordered as he laid Audrey back down when the coughing subsided and he saw the blue tint beginning to form on her lips. "You need to rest. Are you in any pain?

"Yeah," Audrey confessed breathlessly. "My chest is feeling heavy again. It felt better after Dr. Foreman did that procedure, but it hurts again. What's going on?"

Chase sighed, knowing that the pain had come from the fluid that was already returning to Audrey's lungs. "You just over-did-it," he fibbed. "I'm gonna' up your morphine," he explained as he adjusted her IV. "It'll help with the pain. Just rest."

"Thank you," Audrey whispered weakly.

"You're welcome. Audrey, did Dr. Foreman mention you may have to have thoracentesis performed again?"

Audrey nodded.

"And did he mention anything else you may need if the fluid returned?"

"No."

Chase swallowed roughly. "Okay. I don't think you'll need anything more than thoracentesis," he said, hoping she couldn't hear his uncertainty, "but sometimes it's best to be prepared just in case."

"What are you getting at?"

"Have you heard of a respirator?"

"Yeah, it helps people breathe when they can't properly on their own, right?"

"Right. If things would become severe you may need to be put on one."

Audrey's eyes widened in panic. "What? I could stop breathing on my own?"

"Maybe. It's doubtful, but I thought you should know. You see, some patients don't want any help to live if they can't do it on their own. Normally, I would consider someone your age too young to make a decision like that. But we both know you aren't a normal teenager."

"Why you are asking? Do you think I shouldn't take a respirator?"

"No, no, it's that at all," Chase answered immediately. "I would want you to, but I respect you too much not to let the decision be yours'. You haven't had a lot of choices in your life. You didn't choose to have an alcoholic mother or have your father leave you. You deserve a choice," he said honestly as he took Audrey's trembling hand and gave her cold fingers a squeeze.

"I want to fight," Audrey murmured. "I want to do whatever it takes as long as there's hope."

"Good. That's what I was hoping you would say. And I know it would make your mother happy, too."

"What? She doesn't even know I'm here, let alone care."

"Yes, she does," Chase lied. "I saw her when Foreman and I went to your apartment to see if anything there could have made you sick. Your mom was too sick to come back here, but she told me to take care of you."

"She did?" Audrey asked as tears misted her eyes.

"Yeah," Chase replied as he carefully stood. "Now get some sleep, all that talking might have raised your temperature."

Chase released a ragged breath when he returned to his hospital bed and laid down; exhausted from the short walk and guilt. "Forgive me, father," he prayed as he looked heavenward. "But I had to give her one good memory and hope, even if it's false hope."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everybody,**

**I'm sorry for the delay in updates, but there were priorities in the real world to deal with. I hope you enjoy the new chapter and thank you for the feedback.**

**Chapter Eight**  
"Why in the hell do doctors think they can diagnose themselves?" Chase rubbed his eyes tiredly as a harsh voice woke him up from his restless sleep and gasped when he looked up to see a pair of piercing blue eyes staring down at him, only inches from his face.

"House," Chase croaked, "what are you doing?"

"I'm having sex with Cameron since you can't. I'm asking questions, idiot!" Dr. House snapped as he paced around the isolation room, his limp greatly worsened by the heavy protective suit covering him. "Now, let's try this again: why in the hell do doctors think they can diagnose themselves?"

"I'm not in the mood for riddles, House."

"Oh, fine, go ahead and kill the dramatic build-up," House griped. "It wasn't the Advil. We tested the whole bottle, it's fine."

Chase weakly sat up. "What?! Are you positive? That…that was the best theory and it made the most sense."

"Yeah, and if logic solved everything we wouldn't need a diagnostics department. What the hell were you thinking taking some of the Advil you found in the kid's room? Did it not occur to you then that it might be contaminated?"

Chase gritted his teeth. "Of course not! Who are you to judge? I've seen you eat samples we've brought back from patients' houses and you take vicodin all the damn time without worrying it's contaminated. I was thinking I felt crappy and a little Advil might make the pain and you easier to deal with. Obviously, it didn't do much good at all."

House smiled smugly. "You know, sickness normally brings out the worst in people. It makes them look vulnerable and weak, but it's given you backbone. Interesting."

"Is that why you're here? To observe me for your own weird pleasure?"

"Well, your hair is adorable and the figure is svelte….but sadly, I had another agenda. Baby wombat isn't doing as well as big wombat."

"Audrey," Chase whispered as he immediately swung his legs over the edge of the bed and struggled to pull himself up. "What's happened?" he asked, growing frustrated when he looked across the room at Audrey's gurney and saw the curtain had been drawn around her, blocking her from view.

"Slow down before you break your leg," House said, his voice monotone. "She's still alive, but her fever's gone up."

"I know this may be a strange concept to you," Chase panted as he stumbled to Audrey's side, dragging his IV behind him, "but some people care about other people."

Weakly, Chase pulled back the curtain and stood frozen when he looked down at Audrey, struggling to believe he was looking at the same girl he had been talking to only hours ago. Audrey lay limply, with ice packs placed strategically over her. She moaned weakly in pain with each labored breath she drew in. Her crimson cheeks stood out vibrantly in contrast to the rest of her ashen skin that practically blended into the white bed sheets.

"How high is her fever?" Chase asked as he laid his hand to Audrey's forehead, sighing when the intense heat met his skin.

"104.7 and rising."

"Damnit," Chase swore. "Why haven't you wheeled in a portable tub for an ice bath?"

"Because I don't want her to go into shock," House answered plainly. "Her reps are down and her tachycardia has worsened, and thoracentetis had to be performed again to remove more fluid from her lungs. I don't want to stick her in ice water until it's absolutely necessary. Besides, seeing a hot babe drenched in water isn't nearly as fun when they're nearly dead."

"She isn't nearly dead, she's just sick."

"Yeah, I'd want to believe that too if I were in your shoes."

Chase rolled his eyes as he searched through the drawers beside the gurney. "Don't you ever shut up, you-" Chase paused as House stood beside him and began silently adjusting his IV. "What are you doing?"

"Upping your Demerol, I'm tired of being the only addict around here."

"I didn't ask you to."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just too damn generous," House retorted disparagingly as he slid a thermometer into Chase's ear. "I upped it because you needed it; you just have too much adrenaline pumping through your veins to know it yet. You're stumbling around slower than you were before and running out of breath easily."

Chase paused as he lifted a small cloth out of the drawer, noticing how short of breath he was and the cramping surging through his back and legs. "I'm getting worse," he whispered.

"Duh."

"What about Legionnaires? That's what Foreman thought it was."

"And you believed him? It's not Legionnaires either and far so neither of your TB tests appear to be positive. Do want me to go ask Cameron for a suggestion so you have more stupid ideas to cling to?"

"How's my temp?" Chase questioned, trying to ignore House's rude comments.

"Your fever is still very low-grade, 99.9. Get back into bed and help it stay that way."

"No," Chase refused as he sank down onto the side of Audrey's gurney and wet the cloth with water from the pitcher at her bedside. "I'll be fine here," he said as he gently dabbed Audrey's flushed face.

"Oh, good grief, Chase!" House exclaimed. "Would you stop playing surrogate big brother already? Caring isn't going to save either one of you."

"I know that," Chase replied evenly as he pressed the cloth to Audrey's forehead, "if caring was enough to save patients, you wouldn't have a job."

"That's for damn sure," a calm voice commented in the distance.

Chase turned his head to see Dr. Wilson standing outside the room, his features creased with concern.

"If it's not the poster boy for caring himself," House grumbled. "If I didn't know better, I would have sworn Wilson trained you. I'm getting out of here before you two do-gooders rub off me and I lose my love of snark, hookers and porn."

"How is he, House?" Chase heard Wilson ask softly as his boss stepped out of the room and stripped off his suit.

"Annoying as always, today he just happens to be sick and annoying. He can multi-task."

"Do you have any serious answers?"

Chase looked up to see House shake his head and simply whisper 'no' as he walked away. "Why did he even bother coming down here?" he blurted out bitterly.

"He's your doctor," Wilson said plainly.

"That's not what I mean; he could have sent a nurse in here to up my Demerol and take my temperature. He came in here just to wake me up and belittle me."

"It's his way of caring," Wilson defended.

"Making a mockery of me? I can only imagine how he treats people he loves."

"I know it's not much, but it's all he has. He's stressing out because he can't figure out what's wrong with you. He wanted to see you with his own eyes."

"You've managed to do that without insulting me."

Wilson offered a weak smile. "You heard House, I'm the poster boy for caring. How are you holding up?"

Chase shrugged as he glanced down at Audrey. "Better than she is."

"I'm assuming she's the reason you came into my office asking questions about organizations that help teenagers."

"Yeah."

"I see. Sometimes it's hard not to get attached to a patient."

"Aren't you going to tell me I'm being a fool? That it's dumb and even unprofessional to get this attached?"

Wilson shook his head. "No, it's too late now. Besides, at this point it would be hard to maintain a strict doctor/patient relationship when she knows you're a patient, too."

"I keep trying to forget I am," Chase mumbled.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Before Chase could reply, he was distracted by Audrey as she started moaning loudly in pain as she began to wake up. "Audrey," Chase said quietly as she struggled to open her eyes. "Audrey, stay calm."

Suddenly, Audrey's eyes flew open and she gazed around wildly, gasping in fear she when turned to Chase. "Who are you?" she hollered deliriously as she pulled away from him like a frightened animal and ripped off her oxygen mask. "Where I am?"

"I'm Dr. Chase," he explained. "Everything's okay, Audrey, you're at the hospital."

"I need to go home," Audrey insisted, fighting to sit up. "I have to go home!"

"Chase, do you need help?" Wilson shouted.

"I-I don't know-" Chase stammered as he tried to restrain Audrey without excessive force, horrified as he listened to her heart monitor racing and her breath becoming shallow. "She's delirious and not in her right mind."

At the voice of Wilson's voice, Audrey stopped fighting and turned her head. She stared longingly out the widow, mesmerized by the oncologist. "Dad?" she whispered meekly as tears misted her gray eyes. "Daddy!" she cried, gaining volume as she fought against Chase once again, trying to get up. "Daddy!"

Chase felt his heart aching as he watched Audrey sobbing desperately. "No, sweetheart," he whispered gently, stroking her face. "That's Dr. Wilson. Your dad-" he paused, at a loss for words, knowing that if he told her the truth, the distress would surely kill her.

"Daddy!" Audrey shouted suddenly as she stretched her hand out.

Chase watched, wide-eyed as a gloved hand slid over Audrey's and gripped her fingers. "Wilson!" he gasped as he looked behind him to see the oncologist wearing only a sterile gown, mask and gloves. "You can't be in here without the suit!"

"I'll be fine," Wilson replied quietly. "Are you strong enough to get up?"

Chase nodded and slowly brought himself to his feet, watching silently as Wilson calmly took his place beside Audrey.

"Hi, honey," Wilson said kindly as he turned to Audrey.

"Dad," Audrey murmured as she threw her arms around Wilson and fell limply into his arms. "I'm so scared."

"I know you are, but you don't need to be," Wilson explained, speaking in a hushed tone as he carefully laid Audrey back down and slid the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. "You just need to rest. Just close your eyes."

Chase watched in awe as Wilson sat beside Audrey, patting her arm until she fell into an uneasy sleep. For the first time, he understood why patients thanked Wilson, even when he couldn't save their lives, he gave them comfort.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Chase whispered.

Wilson nodded somberly. "Yes, many times. I've sat beside a delirious patient who believed I was their son, or brother, sometimes their husband. This is the first time a teenager thought I was their dad though, guess I'm getting old."

"Why do you do it? Play along, I mean."

A sigh parted through Wilson's lips as he glanced down at Audrey. "Good question. I know some doctors hate me for it, namely House, some even think I'm disrespecting my patients. But I'm trying to give them peace and solace because I respect them."

"For what it's worth, I'm one of the doctors on your side."

"Thanks," Wilson replied gratefully as he read over Audrey's chart. "I'm going to give her a sedative, if she becomes that upset again, her fever may spike even more and it's already dangerously high."

Knowing Audrey was in safe hands, Chase slowly dragged himself back to his gurney, suddenly drained and weak as his adrenaline faded away rapidly. He felt a pang of sadness as he laid down and looked back at Audrey as Wilson watched over her, wondering if he would miss any of his family or friends enough to confuse them with a staff member if he became delirious.

"I think she'll be okay for now," Wilson said after he finished administering the sedative to Audrey's IV. "I'll let Cameron and Foreman know she needs to be monitored more closely until the fever drops. Try to get some sleep, Chase," he advised as he walked to the door, "you need it."

"Wilson, wait. Um..I think there is something you can do for me."

"Okay. What do you need?"

Chase cleared his throat awkwardly. "Earlier today I was talking with Foreman and he suggested I think about getting a proxy, and after seeing how quickly Audrey is getting worse, I think he was right."

"I hope that won't be necessary, but I can't deny it's a wise idea," Wilson acknowledged. "I'll contact a notary for you before I leave."

"I don't think you understand what I'm asking, Wilson. I'm asking _you_ to act as my proxy in case I get too sick to speak for myself."

"Chase, are you sure?" Wilson asked, scratching his head in confusion. "Maybe you should take some more time to think about it. Foreman and Cameron know you better than I do. And I know Cuddy would be dependable."

"I'm positive," Chase answered. "Cameron and Foreman really don't know me any better than you do. And I know Cuddy would cave in and do anything House suggested. You said it yourself, you respect patients. I saw you with Audrey, you treated her with dignity and compassion. I know I'm making the right choice."

"All right," Wilson said slowly, "I'll do it."

"Thank you," Chase told him genuinely. He flashed a wan smile when the sullen tension between them grew to be overwhelming as Wilson shook his hand. "Look at the bright side, for once you actually get to tell House what to do."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi everyone,**

**Thank you for continuing to send feedback and keeping interest in this story. I hope you enjoy the newest chapter.**

**Chapter Nine**

_Chase shifted through the clothing in his mother's closet slowly, peering at each outfit intensely, trying to remember how his mother looked when she wore it. The business suits and formal gowns had been tucked away for years; collecting dust after his mother had stopped living in the real world and took refuge in her bedroom with alcohol and prescriptions as her only friends._

_He turned his head slowly and looked at her bed and dresser, savoring the one room that wasn't filled with moving boxes. Only hours after his mother's body had been taken away, his father had sent in a crew to begin packing up belongings, packing up the memories of his childhood without a care._

"_Hurry up, son," Rowan Chase reprimanded as he walked around impatiently. "Any of those outfits would be perfectly suitable for your mother to be buried in."_

"_No," Chase whispered, "none of these are right. She wasn't a socialite."_

_Rowan grunted. "I'd say not. But having your mother lying in the pajamas she wore daily for the last few years during the viewing would be improper and an embarrassment."_

_Chase swallowed roughly, mesmerized that his father could even make his mother's death revolve around him. "She liked these," he said softly as he pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a pink sweater. "She loved pink."_

"_Then find a pink dress," Rowan insisted. "You can't really want to have your mother buried wearing jeans, Robert. She couldn't have liked a simple pair of jeans more than the designer dresses I bought." _

"_Yes she did," Chase replied firmly. "How would you know? You were never home even before you left her. She liked jeans, she was always wearing them around the house and when we walked together in the park. She loved them because she could be comfortable and stylish at the same time."_

_Rowan rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Things are stressful enough, don't bring up the past and make things worse. We'll compromise. Keep the pink sweater and find a respectable skirt or pair of slacks to go with it."_

"_They'll be big on her," Chase said as he removed the pink sweater and ran his hands over the worn wool. "She'd lost weight."_

"_It doesn't really matter now."_

"_What does matter now?"_

"_What kind of a question is that?"_

"_An important one," Chase retorted. "What happens now?"_

_Rowan shrugged. "Life goes on. It's unpleasant and it's rough, but that's the reality of the situation. You know you'll be well supported. I've arranged for you to attend a wonderful school that will prepare you well for medical school when the time comes. It will be good for you to leave Melbourne and live on campus in Sydney."_

"_That was always your plan, wasn't it? To send me away if mom died."_

"_Don't make it sound so cruel, Robert. Yes, that was my plan. I'm doing you a favor. I'm trying to give you a normal life. You spent far too much time coddling your mother. Going away will allow you to be normal teenager again and make school the top priority in your life, as it should be."_

_Chase swallowed roughly, growing nauseated from the word 'normal'. His life hadn't been normal in years and he knew it never would be._

"_Normal kids don't go away to school to begin planning out their future," he told his father in a whisper, biting his tongue to keep from saying that normal kids had fathers who took them in and never abandoned them in the first place._

"_Consider yourself lucky. Many medical students would be envious of your opportunity."_

"_What if I'm not one of them? I mean, what if I'm not meant to be a doctor? Honestly, father, I've never really considered medicine as a career. Medicine isn't a career, it's a lifestyle. Your life revolves around it."_

"_And just what do you plan to pursue if not medicine?"_

"_I dunno. I was thinking about music, my instructor says I'm a talented violinist and has even booked an audition with the local symphony to help me gain exposure, it's a professional gig. And lately I've been curious about the seminary."_

"_The seminary and symphony," Rowan said in disgust. "Chase, I'm appalled! You can't make a career out of a hobby or faith."_

"_And you can't have a family when you're a doctor," Chase spat back._

"_Enough! Do not take that tone with me, Robert, I will not tolerate it. If you are so set on learning about religion, you will have the opportunity in Sydney, it's a Catholic school."_

"_And what about music? I really am good, father, you'll see for yourself tomorrow at the funeral. I want to play one of my favorite hymns for mom, she always loved hearing me play my violin."_

_Rowan shook his head curtly. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. I had the movers toss out your violin, I didn't know you were still playing it."_

"_You what?" Chase screamed, not even bothering to try to hold back his temper. "Who in the hell do you think you are coming in here, saying what goes and stays? You don't even live here anymore and you don't know me. You've never known me."_

"_Oh, Robert, honestly, you're behaving as absurdly as your mother used to. Perhaps I should have you evaluated by a psychologist before you leave Melbourne. Quiet down, the movers will hear you."_

"_That's all you care about- your reputation. You didn't even hear me."_

"_Calm yourself down," Rowan insisted as he took his son's wrist and began to monitor his pulse. "I'm afraid you're beginning to crack from all of this strain."_

_Chase stared blankly at his father's hand and shivered at his cold touch. Whenever his mother had touched him, he had always felt love and care seeping through, even after she had become so ill. He had even felt concern from a light pat on the back from a worried teacher or friend, but his father's touch was heavy and impersonal; he touched his own son as if he were simply one of his patients._

"_Go lay down for a while," his father instructed as he pulled his hand away. "Get some rest."_

"_Do I still have a bed to lye on?"_

_Rowan sighed heavily. "Yes. You know I certainly hope when I pass you won't be this shaken up."_

"_Trust me, I won't be."_

OOOOOOOOOO

"Chase! Chase, wake up!"

Chase opened his eyes wearily, blinking rapidly to try to steady the blur. Who was the woman screaming? Hadn't his mother died? And where was that loud beeping coming from, had the movers forgotten to pack his alarm clock? He opened his eyes again and stared blankly at the white ceiling above him and glanced down at the band wrapped around his wrist.

"Chase!"

He turned his head toward the woman shouting his name and quickly snapped back into reality as he looked at the pretty brunette calling out to him. He was at Princeton Plainsboro, miles away from his dreams of Australia.

"Cameron," he murmured in a raspy breath, squinting as he watched her and Foreman struggling to put on their protective suits. "What's going on?"

"It's Audrey," Cameron explained hurriedly, "she needs to be intubated!"

Chase gripped the gurney's railing and pulled himself up, horrified when he saw Audrey gasping for breath as the alarms on her heart and pulsox monitor wailed.

"Are you strong enough to get to her?" Foreman asked.

"Yes," Chase replied with false confidence, praying that his determination could carry his weakening body.

Searing pain spread through his limbs, leaving him lightheaded and short of breath as he stumbled to Audrey's bedside. Weakly, he reached over and ripped the IV out of his arm when pushing the stand slowed him down.

"Chase, what the hell are you doing?" he heard Foreman saying. "You need that."

Chase grimaced as he felt warm blood trickling down his arm, dripping onto the floor. "You can give me a new one," he mumbled as he dug an intubation tray to Audrey's gurney.

"Just keep breathing, Audrey," he told her, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

He stared down at the intubation tray and struggled to remember which instrument he needed as they all seemed to blur together through his hazy vision. Squinting, he recognized a thin, sloped tube and carefully wrapped his hand around it, knowing it must be the laryngoscope blade.

Growing weaker by the second, he struggled to even lift Audrey's head to move her pillow. He leaned over her and propped his elbows against the gurney for support as his legs swayed and his knees threatened to buckle.

The blade wavered in his hands as he tilted Audrey back. He glanced down at his fingers, taken back by his blue nails and realized for the first time that his entire body was trembling. When had the room gotten so cold?

Chase gulped as Audrey released one last gasp and her shallow breath landed on his cheek. Her life now rested completely in his hands, he would determine whether she would live or die.

"I can't do this alone," he said aloud as he closed his eyes. "Lord, I need help," he prayed. "I need your help. I need you to guide my hands and make her breathe again."

Quickly, Chase's green eyes flew open and his vision was clearer than before. Expertly, he guided the ET tube passed Audrey's vocal cords into the trachea. He fumbled to connect the oxygen, but within seconds, air was being pumped back into her lungs, keeping death at bay.

"You did it, Chase!" Cameron praised as she and Foreman hurried through the doors, fully gowned.

"I'm not sure I did," Chase rasped as he looked heavenward.

"We've got it now," Foreman assured him as he secured the inbutation. "I'll get her finished up, let Cameron help you back to bed and get in an IV."

"Okay," Chase stammered as Cameron took his arm.

He took a few clumsy steps and paused as Cameron tightened her grip.

"Chase," she said, "Chase, what's wrong?"

Chase closed his eyes as his head swum in dizziness and room returned to the blur, the chill of his body quickly being replaced by heat.

"Chase! Chase, open your eyes! Foreman, get over here and help me!"

Suddenly, Cameron's voice sounded miles away as Chase's legs gave out and he collapsed, being spared a painful fall as Foreman thrust his arms around his waist and braced him.

"Chase, are you with us?" Cameron asked worriedly.

Chase looked up as Foreman and Cameron lowered him onto a gurney, only seeing floating shapes and colors instead of their faces.

"That's it open your eyes," Cameron said gently as she pressed her gloved hand to his forehead. "Oh, God, you're burning up. We've got to get another IV in you."

"Is anything hurting?" Foreman inquired.

"M-my chest," Chase whispered, "it feels so heavy."

"All right, take a deep breath for me," Foreman said.

Chase tried to comply as he felt the circular metal of a stethoscope pressed to his chest; but he instantly began coughing. His coughs grew with intensity, deepening and growing louder. And then a thick liquid broke loose and splattered onto his lips.

"Aw, shit," he heard Foreman swear, confirming his worst fear, the liquid had been blood.

Chase grew in a ragged breath and looked up at co-workers desperately. "Get House," he begged, his voice only a faint whisper as his body fell limp, all sound went silent and the room faded to black.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: As always, I want to thank everyone who has been kind enough to send a review. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Have a great weekend.**

**Chapter Ten**

"All right," House sighed as he wrote Chase's newest symptoms onto the white board, "differential diagnosis- round five. Any suggestions?"

"We shouldn't be in here," Cameron snapped as she paced back and forth around the office anxiously. "We should be in the isolation ward monitoring Chase ourselves instead of leaving the nurses to do it."

"That was a comment, not a suggestion."

"How can you be so smug? Chase was asking for you before he lost consciousness."

House rolled his eyes. "Do you really think he was asking for me personally to come and sit by his side and hold his hand? If he wanted that, he'd ask for Wilson. If he wanted pretty scenery, he'd ask for you. He asked for me because I'm brilliant and he wants to live."

Foreman grunted as he looked up from his notes. "If you're so brilliant, why haven't you already figured out this case and sent Chase on the road to recovery?"

"Good things come to those who wait. And in case you didn't notice, I wasn't running out of clever things to say when I left you out of the people Chase would ask for."

"Are we going to sit here making snide comments or try to help Chase?" Foreman asked tiredly.

"I tried but neither of you wanted to play along. Now let's try this again: any suggestions?"

"Chase had mentioned the plague," Cameron remembered. "Maybe he was on to something. Pneumonic plague is an infection of the lungs and highly contagious."

"He is showing some of the symptoms," Foreman seconded. "Sudden on-set, high fever, chills and decreased oxygen rate."

House shook his head. "It sounds fine in theory, but it can't be. Pneumonic plague is spread by infected fleas _and_ infected people. If it were the plague, thousands of people throughout the state would be sick, not just two."

"How about SARS?" Foreman suggested.

"No," House said as he read the symptoms over and over. "If it were, we'd have more people sick, just like pneumonic plague."

"Maybe we're focusing too much on the lungs," Cameron murmured. "Audrey had tachycardia before her lungs started failing. Maybe the problem's in the heart."

"Yeah, let's forget about the lungs," House grumbled sarcastically. "Breathing is highly overrated."

"What else is there?" Cameron asked in defeat. "Sitting here naming every illness or disease it isn't won't help Chase."

"Or Audrey," House added. "Am I the only one still remembering there's an orphaned teenager worse off than the Aussie?"

"Of course we care about Audrey," Cameron insisted. "But Chase is our co-worker, it's only natural for us to be focusing on him."

House smirked weakly. "Natural for you since you two have a very beneficial relationship. But we can't forget Audrey."

"We haven't forgotten her," Foreman said. "I just finished checking her. What are you hiding? If you have a clue, you better tell us, we can't afford to be playing games with innocent lives."

"Audrey _is_ the clue," House explained.

"Well, obviously," Cameron said. "Chase caught whatever this is from her."

"Actually," House replied as he read over a handful of charts, "I don't think he did. Their symptoms are popping up and worsening at pretty much the same speed, the kid's only a day ahead of him. We've been going about this all wrong. It's like trying to solve a puzzle when you're missing half the pieces."

Foreman heaved an irritated sigh. "Do us all a favor and skip the metaphor and get straight to the point."

"Oh, fine, be a party pooper," House mumbled bitterly. "What I mean is we've been focusing too much on the symptoms."

"What?" Cameron gasped. "You can't diagnosis someone without looking at their symptoms!"

"But we already have looked and haven't gotten anywhere. We have to stop looking at the symptoms and start backtracking. We already know the symptoms. Now we have to go back to the day Chase first saw Audrey back when they could both breathe easily and find out what or who is making them sick."

"And just how do we do that?" Foreman inquired skeptically. "The room they were in has been checked from top to bottom and Cameron and I ran the tests ourselves, nothing we found could explain these symptoms."

"Then we pull the patient records from the makeshift clinic and every nearby exam room to compare symptoms."

"That would lead us on a wild goose chase," Foreman argued. "The first symptoms are incredibly vague and could accompany practically any illness bacterial or viral in the beginning."

House gritted his teeth. "Do either of you have any better ideas?"

"No," Foreman and Cameron whispered in unison.

"All right, then I suggest you both get to work while we still have time," House said as he limped toward the door.

"House, where are you going?" Cameron called after him.

"To see Chase and go over every case he had that day. Maybe a little encouragement will help him remember. Besides, you said he wanted to see me."

Foreman groaned as House disappeared behind the door. "If this mystery illness doesn't kill Chase, House's _encouragement_ just might stress him into a heart attack that does."

OOOO

Chase stared around his hospital room absently, struggling to focus on House's questions as his mind wondered feverishly. Over the night, his temperature had risen to 103 degrees and his lungs had begun to fill with fluid and he had awakened to a fatigue he had never known before that went much deeper than tiredness and lethargy. The few moments he had fallen into unconsciousness had been a blessing he nearly wished for again.

He glanced at Audrey, watching as the respirator forced her chest up and down as it kept her breathing. Her face was ashen and free of expression, but he couldn't help but wonder if she was feeling any pain or if she was feeling anything at all. He turned his gaze to the clock ticking on the wall and began to wonder how much longer he had before his own life depended on a respirator.

"What the hell-" Chase gasped suddenly as he felt the nasal canula supplying oxygen roughly yanked out of his nose. He drew in a ragged breath and tossed a cold glare up at House as the doctor held the canula possessively. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I need your attention," House retorted plainly as he reattached the oxygen, "and asking nicely is boring."

"Are you trying to kill me?" Chase hissed.

"No, why would I? That's what you're doing to yourself by not answering my questions!" House complained as he pointed to the medical charts spread over the gurney. "Now pay attention, the answer to this mystery has to be in one of these files and we only have three left."

"All right, all right," Chase relented. "Who's next?"

"Wanda Neew, seventy-six, came in for achy joints. Because you know that's a complete anomaly when you're older than dirt."

Chase grimaced as he looked over the paperwork. "I remember her. There was nothing suspicious. She was just a really cranky old woman who came in because her arthritis was flaring up."

"That's all, no other complaints?"

"Plenty of complaints," Chase recalled, "but most of them weren't about her health. She complained about noise, waiting time, everything. I gave her some free samples of Naproxen, which she could have picked up over-the-counter at any pharmacy or department store and saved us both time."

"But then they wouldn't have been free and she wouldn't have had someone to bitch at," House added. "Did she mention any other pain, pain in her back or legs?"

"No, nothing like the pain Audrey and I experienced in the beginning. Everything she mentioned was consistent with arthritis."

"All right," House said reluctantly as he pushed the woman's chart aside. "Onto the next patient: Audrey Meadows."

"House, don't toy with me. We don't need to discuss Audrey, she's lying right there," Chase told him bitterly as he pointed across the room with a shaky hand.

"I know, I'm crippled, not blind. And because I'm not blind, I know you don't have a consult with someone who is only suffering from exhaustion that lasts thirty minutes. According to Nurse Brenda, that's how long you two were in the exam room."

"What? That can't be right. It didn't seem like a half hour…"

"Well, it was. Now, if most young male doctors took that long with a pretty girl, I'd assume….well, it's obvious. But her looks were surprisingly the last thing you noticed. So what were you doing, hugging her while she sobbed into the shoulder of the handsome, caring doctor?"

"Of course not. What doctor actually does that with some patient they just met?"

"Well, Wilson is a magnet for needy women…Audrey fell sobbing into his arms the first time she saw him."

"She was delusional. She thought he was her deceased father," Chase told him tiredly. "I just talked to her. She had been timid and quiet, until the moment I said school is nothing compared to the real world because I thought she might be skipping like all the other teens that morning. She got angry and raised her voice and said she agreed with me, that school was a vacation compared to the real world. I wanted to know what would make her say that to make sure she wasn't being abused by a parent or boyfriend."

"And instead you got a personal flashback," House filled in.

"Sort of," Chase replied, leery of opening up to his superior. "I just talked to her. Is any of this important?"

House shrugged. "Not really. I was just curious, which is shame, because your story was damn boring. I'm sure it will be on Lifetime next month."

"I'm sorry I failed to be as interesting as General Hospital."

"It wasn't a total waste," House retorted with a smug grin. "Thanks to you, I know a teenage girl mistook Wilson for her daddy. If I throw it in his face enough and convince him that even the neediest of needy women don't find wrinkled men attractive, within one week, he'll be getting Botox injections."

"That's disgusting."

"One man's trash is another man's treasure. And by the way, if your fever continues to spike and you become delirious and think I'm your father, I won't hold your hand."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll be able to tell the difference, even you're not as big an ass as he was."

"Now there's the _real_ interesting story."

"And I'm not telling it," Chase said sharply as he suddenly burst into a rough spell of hacking coughs, relieved when he looked down and didn't see any blood splattered on his hand. "Could you hurry up the inquisition? I'm wearing out."

"Sorry."

Chase blinked in confusion at the sincerity in House's voice and the frown that replaced his smirk. "Who was last?"

"John Doe, some homeless guy," House replied as he handed Chase the file and grasped the stethoscope lying beside the gurney. "Try to take some deep breaths for me while you look it over."

Weakly, Chase followed House's orders, disgusted by the sickening crackles he could hear plainly with each ragged breath. "I can't tell you anymore than the paperwork does," he rasped when House was finished. "He was just some crazy bum who needed a cut cleaned and bandaged."

"Was he coughing?"

"No."

"Did you wear gloves when you treated him?"

"Of course I did," Chase said indignantly, "and a mask. If one of those stupid medical suits had been around, I would've worn it, too."

"Are you sure he didn't show any signs of illness? You gave him antibiotics and he had a mild fever, 100 even."

"He lives on the street in a cardboard box, the cut got infected," Chase explained.

"You called him a 'crazy bum'. Do you think the behavior could have been a symptom?" House prodded.

"No, he was maniac, not delusional."

House rubbed his forehead and swore bitterly. "So much for this idea."

"What happens now?"

"Cameron and Foreman continue searching through patient records from nearby exam rooms and we run tests on the fluid from your lungs and compare the results to Audrey's to see if we learn anything new."

"I need thoracentesis now?" Chase asked worriedly as he began coughing again.

"Obviously," came House's deadpan reply. "You have too much fluid building up in your lungs. I'm going to check on the kid. Chances are if you need it, she needs it since you two seem to be playing follow the leader."

"How's she holding up?"

"She's alive, thanks to you," House answered as he grabbed Audrey's chart. "Temp's lowered to 103 and holding steady for the last hour. At least there's less risk of her brain frying to a crisp now."

"Do you think she could be improving?"

House shook his head as he pressed his stethoscope to Audrey's chest. "No, the lungs are still a complete mess. My guess is her temp dropped after you intubated her because her body isn't having to work so hard now to stay alive, the respirator is doing it for her."

"But she can't stay on a respirator forever," Chase whispered.

"I beg to differ, I think coma guy may out live us all," House retorted childishly.

Chase rolled his eyes and watched House as he began adjusting Audrey's IV. "What are you doing?"

"Upping her morphine."

"She's been asleep ever since she was put on the respirator. Do you think she's still in pain?

"She's had a tube shoved down her throat and fluid sucked out of her lungs repeatedly. Her body is asleep, that doesn't mean the illness is. Of course she's in pain."

"You've been giving both of us pain medication religiously since this all started. If I didn't know better, I might think you cared."

"I do."

"What?" Chase gasped as he pressed his palm to his forehead, certain his temperature had risen and he was delirious.

"Relax. I'm not going to hold your hand or stroke her hair. I'm just not going to let you suffer from pain. I know I'm a son of bitch, in fact, I pride myself on it. And I have put patients through severe pain to try to find an answer, but have you ever seen me inflict physical pain on someone just for the hell of it?"

"The cop who stalked you…."

"Okay, other than assholes?"

"No, I never have."

"Pain changes people," House whispered. "It changes the mind and the ability to think logically, sometimes it changes a personality so much family and friends can't even recognize someone. You need to think to about what you want to do if things get worse, Chase, while you still can."

"I want to live," Chase answered firmly. "If I have to go through excruciating pain to survive, so be it."

"And what if it were permanent?" House challenged. "Right now, I can't guarantee how you're going to come out of this. Do you want to live that way?"

"You do it."

House snorted. "Yeah, and I'm the picture of happiness. I live in pain every day. In the morning, even before I open my eyes, I feel the pain radiating though my leg. And it's the last thing I feel before I fall asleep. There's a reason I'm dependent on Vicodin- I have a drug problem because I have a _pain_ problem."

Chase drew in a ragged breath and focused on the pain that spread through his body as the phrase House used so often echoed in his ears. Would he be able to keep fighting the way Audrey was willing to, even if he would have to live a life that left him feeling like more like a patient than a doctor every day?

"I'll think about it," Chase whispered, "and let Wilson know what I want."

"Wilson," House quipped, "did you give up Cameron and switch teams? I'm hurt, I thought he was all mine."

"No," Chase retorted irritably, "he's my proxy."

"Wilson! Why on earth would you pick Wilson?"

"Because he actually cares about patients. And let's face it," Chase said as he gestured to the medical equipment surrounding him, "that's what I am now."

"Well, I care, too," House said, feigning concern as he tossed a copy of the Bible onto Chase's gurney, "I even brought you a gift."

"What's this for?" Chase asked as he lifted the sacred book into his hands.

"I thought you might want it, because if I don't figure this out soon you might be wishing you had stayed in the seminary."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: This chapter contains vague spoilers from 'Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't'. Thanks again for your feedback and continued support. Have a great weekend.**

**Chapter Eleven**

Chase lay silently as he held the tattered Bible House had given him in his trembling hands. Delicately, he ran his fingers over the words as he struggled to read them through his hazy vision. He gave a weary sigh as he read the story of the periodical son and remembered the last time he had sat in a church back home in Australia, where he spent his last moments in the seminary.

_The church was silent, free of any sermons, hymns or murmured prayers. Chase bowed respectfully at the front of the altar and made the sign of the cross before sliding into one of the pews. He was thankful for the silence, because he had always hoped God heard him even when he didn't say a word._

_He stared intensely at the sacred altar and tried to imagine himself standing there, sharing the word of God with others the way some of his classmates planned. Despite his greatest attempts, he could never bring the image to life._

_"Robert," a voice echoed, "is that you Robert Chase?"_

_Chase swallowed roughly, instantly recognizing the voice of Sister Clarence, his stern theology instructor. "Yes, Sister," he replied softly._

_"You look like you have much on your mind," she commented as she sat down beside him._

"_I guess."_

_"I saw your father here today. A boy should look pleased after seeing his father."_

_Chase held his breath and wondered when an eleventh commandment had been added, encouraging others to push their noses into their neighbors' business. "We only spoke briefly."_

_"I spoke with him as well."_

_"You-you did?" he stammered, utterly surprised._

_"Yes, your father was curious about your dedication to your studies here."_

_"And what did you tell him?"_

_"What I believe to be true," Sister Clarence told him bluntly. "I told him I don't believe you belong here, not yet at least. He seemed to agree with me."_

_"Of course he did," Chase mumbled beneath his breath._

_"He told me of your interest in medicine and that he has offered to pay for your medical schooling completely. It sounds like a generous, kind offer to me."_

_Chase rolled his eyes, knowing his father had never done anything to be kind or generous. His father only made offers under his own terms and conditions when he wanted something in return._

_"You sound like you want to me to leave, Sister," Chase said. "I would think you would want me to stay here and learn more about religion."_

_"I would if I truly believed you belong here. I've seen the way your mind works in your papers, Robert. You're always trying to give reasons to prove why God is real and give examples. You sound like a scientist, not a Christian."_

_Chase gritted his teeth. "There are Christian scientists. I was never told it was a sin to believe in both."_

_"It's not," Sister Clarence agreed. "But it may be foolish to avoid your true calling."_

_"I thought the propose of being here was to learn more," Chase challenged, "not everyone here has to grow up to be a priest."_

_"No, but everyone here should have blind faith. Do you, Robert? You wrote in one of your papers that you believe because you want to believe there is something more and someone who hears you when you pray. Do you really believe God is there or do you just want him to be there? There is a difference and you would be wise to find your real answer."_

_"Does anyone really have blind faith? If you had appendicitis would you go to a doctor for surgical removal or just trust God would heal you before you went into sepsis? I thought we were here to serve and assist."_

_"How interesting that you made a reference to medicine; a very informed reference to medicine," Sister Clarence replied evenly._

_"A little knowledge of an appendectomy is hardly very informed, most people know that," Chase insisted._

_"Perhaps, but they wouldn't speak of it the way you do. There is no shame in being a doctor, Robert."_

_"But is there shame in becoming a doctor only because someone else wants you to? Or because you want to save someone who's already gone," Chase whispered to himself as he thought of the morning he found his mother's dead body._

_"It seems as if you have been given a test," Sister Clarence said matter-of-factly._

_"A test? What kind of a test?"_

_"Faith or fear," she explained. "You have your faith, whatever it may be. But you also have an opportunity to follow your father's suggestions and have a profitable career in medicine, all expenses paid. Are you strong enough to walk away from that?"_

Chase blinked repeatedly as the powerful words in the passage blurred and his memories began to fade. Had the nun been right? Had his faith been weak and only created because he needed something to believe in and a place to run away to? Had he ever truly been a good doctor or just the son of a talented physician using medicine as another escape?

He studied the medical equipment surrounding him, watching his weakening vitals. Wearily, he closed the Bible and began to wonder if he would live to answer the questions he had avoided for so long and become the person he was truly intended to be.

OOOO

"Come on!" House yelled as he shifted through the results of the old and new tests performed on Chase and Audrey that covered the laboratory. "Keep on looking. We have to analyze every little detail. Something has to be missing."

"The only thing missing is the diagnosis," Foreman snapped as he looked up from his microscope. "We need help, House."

"We have help," House argued as he pointed to Dr. Wilson.

"He's an oncologist! They don't have cancer!"

"No, but Cameron's off somewhere, undoubtedly doing something pointless; so I brought in a surrogate. He's nice, he's caring and he looks pretty in pink."

"Cameron's not doing something pointless," Forman defended. "She went back to Audrey's workplace to see if we missed anything. It was a good idea. Digging up patient records from every room near the clinic was a complete waste of time, we didn't find anything new."

House shrugged casually. "Wilson's still important, in fact, he very well may hold the missing piece. Swab his mouth for DNA. There have been so many Mrs. Wilsons the kid may not have been hallucinating when she called him da-da."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "You can't even show respect for a dying, orphaned teenager?"

"I could, but that's not nearly as entertaining."

"Grow up," Wilson grumbled, "Peter Pan syndrome is really getting old."

"How could Peter Pan syndrome get old?" House challenged. "The kid never even hit puberty."

"Excuse me!" Foreman exclaimed bitterly. "I thought you wanted to focus on lab reports and patient records, not children's literature."

"That would be an excellent idea!"

"Cuddy," House said knowingly without glancing at the door. "So glad you could join us. The story wouldn't be complete without Captain Hook."

"Is this a joke to you?" Cuddy hissed as stood in front Dr. House and forced him to look at her. "Are you even trying to solve this?"

"No, I'm standing around repeating tests for fun!" House shouted in reply. "And that's why I went over every damn case Chase had that day with him personally, because it was such a great laugh."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But we're running out of time. I just checked on Chase and his temperature has risen to nearly 104 degrees and he needed more fluid removed from his lungs. And Audrey's condition has deteriorated even more, in only a matter of a few hours she'll have to be on a bypass machine to stay alive, the respirator won't be enough."

"We have to come up with some sort of treatment," Wilson advised. "Even if it won't cure them, we have to think of something that will give them both time."

"No, we have to find the answer," House declared tiredly. "Stop thinking like an oncologist, we can't give them chemo and hope for the best."

"Then perhaps it's time we call in the CDC," Cuddy suggested.

House shook his head. "No! The CDC will send in a bunch of paranoid idiots no smarter than I am, in fact, I'm certain they're _not_ smarter than I am to come sniffing around."

"I've tried to avoid it, and I know they'll give you restrictions, but if we can't solve this we have to bring in someone who can."

"They're called the Center for Disease Control for a reason," House quipped, "all they do is control everything."

Foreman sighed and pushed away the slides he had been viewing. "She's right, House, we haven't gotten anywhere. Nothing in the reports, slides or your conversation with Chase gave us a lead."

"Then maybe I was talking to the wrong person," House said as he clutched his cane and headed toward the door.

"What do you mean?" Cuddy asked as she followed him. "Chase was on duty."

"And Audrey was his patient," House retorted. "It's time to talk to her."

"You can't!" Cuddy debated.

"Why not?"

"Because she's practically in a coma!"

"There's a big difference between practically in a coma and _in_ a coma. I'm talking to the kid."

OOOO

"You have to be gentle, House," Cuddy warned the diagnostician as he stepped off the elevator into the isolation ward.

"Being gentle won't save her," House replied with an annoyed grunt. "Trust me, if I end up saving this girl's life, she won't care whether I held her hand along the way."

"I'm not asking you to hold her hand; I'm asking you to show a little compassion. Audrey is very fragile, if you push too hard and stress her out it could be enough to kill her."

"Fine, I'll be sure to use my indoor voice," House promised as he turned the corner and saw Cameron standing outside the quarantined room with a petite, older Hispanic woman at her side. "Who the hell is this?" he asked frankly.

"This," Cameron answered as she offered the stranger an apologetic glance, "is Gloria Nex. She's the owner of the gift shop where Audrey works. When I came in for more samples and explained to her how dire the situation had become, she wanted to see her."

"Audrey's just a child," Gloria whispered tearfully as she stared through the clear glass, "if I had known she was all alone, I would've come sooner. Dr. Cameron explained that I can't go inside, but I wanted to be as close as I could be."

House nodded. "Good. It's about time someone besides Chase gave a shit about little orphan Audrey."

"I care about Audrey very much," Gloria said after she had recovered from House's bluntness. "I had no idea how severe her circumstances were, she never let on. How is she?"

"That's what I'm going to find out," House said as he began suiting up.

"Wait," Cuddy called out, "wait a second, don't go in yet. You're not going in alone."

"Tagging along, are you? I knew you wanted me."

"I meant Audrey's boss," Cuddy explained as she faced Gloria. "Dr. House is going to have wake Audrey and ask a few questions and given her grave state she is probably going to be very afraid when she wakes up."

"I'd be afraid too if I woke up to that man," Gloria commented.

Cuddy sighed. "Good point. But Audrey will probably be more afraid of the tube placed in her throat for the respirator and she might still be delirious from the fever. Would you be willing to go in with Dr. House? You wouldn't have to worry about being infected; you will be wearing the same protective gear the employees use. Seeing a familiar face may help her."

"Of course I'll go," Gloria volunteered easily. "I'll do whatever I can to help her."

"I'll go too," Cameron offered. "I'll guide Audrey through the process of answering questions using the writing board and alphabet signs."

"I'm quite capable of informing the kid," House said as he zipped up his suit, "I'm hooked on more than painkillers, I'm hooked on phonics."

Cuddy crossed her arms. "The last time you dealt with a patient who was unable to communicate verbally, you ended up ripping up the signs and throwing the writing board out the window."

Wordlessly, House handed Cameron and Gloria a protective suit. And within minutes the women were covered and followed him into the isolated room.

"Chase," House said as he walked passed the blonde's bed and roughly patted his leg, "get up."

"W-what's going on?" Chase stammered through chattering teeth as he opened his feverish eyes.

"Did you have to wake him?" Cameron asked angrily. "He has a high fever, he needs rest!"

"He needs to be awake to confirm anything we get out of the kid. He may be heading toward delirium, but he's not there yet."

"Kid?" Chase whispered, blinking in confusion.

"House needs to speak with Audrey," Cameron explained. "But don't worry," she added, placing a comforting hand to Chase's shoulder when he began to protest. "He's not going to upset her and make her any worse. I'm here to help Audrey answer questions and her boss has come as well to help her stay calm. You just rest."

"Excuse me," House said as he reached Audrey, "the clock's ticking."

Cameron hurried to the other side of the room, bringing Gloria along. "All right. We're ready."

"Audrey," House called out loudly as he waved a smelling salt under her nose. "Audrey, wake up!"

Slowly, Audrey opened her gray eyes, startled when she saw the masked group surrounding her. In a panic, she gazed around the room and weakly tugged at the tube in her mouth.

"No, sweetheart," Cameron said soothingly as she grasped her hand. "Don't touch it."

"Hi, Audrey," Gloria whispered as she rubbed the girl's shoulder. "It's Gloria. I know the tube is scary, but the doctors say you're too sick to be without it."

"Kid," House said plainly as Audrey began to calm down, "if you understand what we're telling you, blink two times." He paused and watched as Audrey shut her eyes twice. "Great. She's lucid. Let's start the inquisition."

"We'll have to use the alphabet poster and have her spell out answers," Cameron said as she felt Audrey's hand shaking violently in hers'. "She's too weak to write."

"Whatever," House retorted lowly. "Just get started."

Cameron offered Audrey a weak smile. "Okay, I just need to ask you a couple of questions that might help us understand why you and Dr. Chase have gotten so ill. Since you can't talk to us right now, I'm going to hold up this sign," Cameron explained as she slid the poster in front of Audrey, "and you can spell out your replies. Do you understand?"

Wearily, Audrey spelled out 'yes'.

"Great," Cameron complimented. "Don't rush yourself, though. You take all the time you need to answer Dr. House's questions."

"Perhaps you could ask, Dr. Cameron," Gloria intervened as she glared at the diagnostician. "You obviously have more patience."

House rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Audrey, do you remember the day you first came to the clinic and saw

Dr. Chase?" Cameron questioned and waited patiently while Audrey once again replied 'yes'. "Good. Do you remember anything odd happening that day? Sitting next to patient with a rough cough?"

Cameron followed Audrey trembling fingers as she slowly pointed to the letters 'h-o-b-o'. "Hobo?" she said, turning to face Chase. "Does that ring any bells?"

Chase paused a moment in thought, then shook his head. "No. Nothing."

"What about the hobo?" House wondered anxiously, fighting to control his temper. "We have to know the connection!"

"Lay off, House," Cameron warned in a whisper. "You're doing great, Audrey. And I know you're exhausted and in a lot of pain, but we just need to answer a few more questions and then you can go back to sleep. Was the hobo in the clinic?"

Once again, Audrey gave a positive reply.

"Were you sitting by him?" House inquired, swearing when Audrey pointed to 'no'. "Damnit. This is pointless."

"Wait. She's spelling again," Cameron said as Audrey weakly began dragging her hand over the letters. 'b-u-m

"Well, obviously he was a bum," House grumbled.

"Ignore him, honey," Gloria whispered to Audrey encouragingly. "You're doing great."

"p-e-d," Cameron said aloud. "Okay, bumped. He bumped into you?"

Tiredly, Audrey continued, spelling out 'us'.

"Chase, she said a homeless man bumped into both of you," Cameron told him. "Do you remember that?"

"She's right," Chase whispered in shock. "She's-she's right! I completely forgot. But there was a man, the man listed as John Doe in the records. We were talking and he burst in before we finished, he ran into both of us and knocked Audrey down."

"Finally!" House cried out. "This is the connection we've been waiting for. Let's get going, we have to find this guy."

"How can you be so excited?" Cameron asked, shaking her head.

"How can you not be? This is lead we've been waiting for!"

"Searching through records in our own hospital was hard enough," Cameron whispered hopelessly, "now we have to search the streets of Princeton for a man that doesn't even have an address."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for their continued interest in this story. A brief reference to 'Insensitive' from season three is included. **

**Chapter Twelve**

Chase stared up at the ceiling blankly, blinking at the drops of water that splashed against his eyes from a damp cloth Cameron pressed to his forehead.

"Chase," Cameron whispered. "Chase, what are you looking at?"

"The ceiling," Chase replied quietly. "Relax. Despite the high fever, I'm not delirious; I'm not staring at make-believe aliens or monsters. I'm just sick of looking around and seeing nothing but medical equipment. My only other options are watching Audrey get even sicker or the ceiling. I never thought I'd miss windows so much."

"There is another option," Cameron said as she replaced the cloth, "you could look at me. Although I suppose I might look like a monster in this suit."

"You could never look like a monster. I'm not looking at you because I'm trying to avoid the truth in your eyes."

"Truth?"

"Fear," Chase explained wearily. "I see the fear in your eyes," he said, forcing himself to look at her.

"Don't be silly. I'm not afraid. House and Foreman are searching high and low to find out what this is now that Audrey gave us such a huge clue."

"Do you really think they'll find a random homeless man?"

Cameron shook her head. "No, they probably won't. But whatever this is has to be contagious, they may find a documented case at another hospital or an admitted patient that will lead to the answer. You just have to have faith."

"You know things are really bad when an atheist is telling you to have faith."

"I do have faith, Chase. I have faith in people and in medicine."

"That kind of faith only helps when you're alive."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Death is something I have to think about, Cameron," Chase said softly.

"No!" Cameron argued passionately. "No, it isn't."

Slowly, Chase tilted his head and stared across the room at Audrey. "Look at her. She's on bypass…even her heart can't function on its own now. And I'm following right behind her. You can't live on bypass forever. If House doesn't solve this soon, I'm going to die."

"How can you say that so easily?" Cameron wondered as she blinked back tears.

"Because it's true," he retorted plainly. "I've seen death too many times to ignore it. My parents are both gone and I have literally seen thousands of people die in the ICU. Everyone dies eventually I'd be foolish to think I'm special."

"You are special. You have House- and he's the best. You won't die, and neither will she," Cameron insisted as she pointed to Audrey. "Now stop it. I don't want to hear you talking like this again. I won't let you give up."

"Why?"

"Because I-I," Cameron stuttered, "because I care."

Chase stared at Cameron silently for a moment, studying her drawn face as he tried to decipher whether her concern was the typical affection she felt for all the patients she treated or something more.

"I've got a lot to figure out while I'm still able to think a bit. I'm sorry if it upsets you. You don't have to sit here and baby-sit me. Why don't you take a break? You must be exhausted."

"No, you shouldn't be alone."

"Audrey is and she's a kid."

"Not entirely," Cameron said as she nodded toward the clear glass wall. "Her boss is still here. I wish she had a family to sit with her, but a concerned co-worker is better than nothing, don't you think?"

Chase swallowed roughly. "Funny, after everything we've experienced together…I'd like to think we're more than co-workers."

"Chase, we had an agreement-"

"Relax, Cameron. I just meant, if you were lying here I would be sitting at your bedside, but as a concerned friend, not a concerned co-worker."

"I am your friend," Cameron assured him softly. "Maybe that's why I can't stand to hear you talk about dying. But because I am your friend, I'll listen. What are you thinking about? I don't see how you have enough energy to do anything other sleep. What decisions do you need to make?"

"Where I'll be buried if I don't make it, I have life insurance, but I never stopped to think about arrangements. I always assumed I had time."

"Wouldn't you want to be in Australia, with your mom and dad?"

"I suppose I wouldn't mind being beside my mother."

"Your hatred toward your father runs so deeply you couldn't stand to be near him even in a cemetery?"

"I don't hate my father," Chase said calmly, "even though I've tried to many times. I mentioned my mother because my father will be with his new wife. It's silly to discuss it. It doesn't really matter anyway. No one will be stopping by to leave flowers on my tombstone."

"I would," Cameron replied sadly. "No one should ever be forgotten. Now please, stop this, you shouldn't be focusing on something so morbid. You need to focus on living."

Chase cracked a wan smile. "I've thought about the afterlife, if that counts. It's not mortality that scares me, it's finding out if whatever faith I had will be justified. Finding out whether the God I always hoped was there really is."

"Would you have traded your faith even if you learn there was nothing there?"

"No," Chase answered confidently. "No, I wouldn't. My faith helped on my darkest days and gave me hope when nothing else could. There has to be something there, someone there."

"Well, with all due respect, I hope you see whatever you believe in one day, just not any day soon."

"Me too," Chase retorted weakly as what little energy he had quickly began to fade as he fought to keep his eyes open. "I'm getting tired again."

"Listen to what your body is telling you, you need to sleep."

Chase sluggishly reached for the drawer beside his gurney, sighing in frustration when he didn't possess the strength to pull the handle. "I will, but first I need you to give Wilson these papers. It's my..my-"

"I know what it is," Cameron said hesitantly as she removed the wrinkled paper in her trembling fingers. "I'll see that he gets it. But now you need to sleep," she encouraged in a whisper as she squeezed Chase's hand. "I'll see you when you wake up."

"If-"

"When," Cameron said steadily, "when you wake up."

OOOO

"House, where are we going now?" Foreman asked tiredly as the diagnostician maneuvered his old vehicle through the crowded highway. .

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No," Foreman practically growled. "Nothing is obvious! If something were, we wouldn't have traveled all over Princeton, scoping out street corners and bombarding all the doctors at local hospitals. We even checked out free clinics."

House sighed. "And to think I used to believe you were the smartest minion. When we can't find the answer among the dim-witted downtrodden or aristocratic assholes…there's only one place left to go."

Foreman's jaw dropped as he gazed up at the large old building looming before them as House turned into the parking lot. "The morgue? You brought us to the morgue?!"

"Yep. Eventually everyone in Jersey ends up here. If the ER docs around town haven't been treating homeless people with the same symptoms, then they all must be coming here."

"You can't be serious," Foreman persisted as House carefully climbed out and stepped onto the sidewalk.

"In fact, I can, I can scowl and everything. Come on, Foreman, you're a doctor- this isn't the first time you've seen dead people."

"What good will this do if they're already dead?" Foreman questioned incredulously.

House shrugged as he forced his colleague to hold the door open. "Why does that matter? It's Chase and the kid I'm trying to save. Maybe we should handle more cases this way, dead patients don't lie as much."

"How can they lie at all?"

"Because everybody lies. Yo, Macy!" House hollered abruptly, smiling smugly as his voice echoed through the eerie building. "Get out here! I need a favor!"

Foreman winced and rubbed his ears. "What the hell are you doing?

"Sparing the receptionist the time of ringing the chief medical examiner. We go way back, we're old classmates. I enjoyed autopsies."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Dr. House," a deep voice greeted casually as a lanky man in his forties appeared in the lobby. "What brings you here? Are you tired of treating the living?"

"Yes, but unfortunately, one of my subordinates is currently on the red eye to becoming your case, so it's a bad time to look into switching fields. I came in to cash in that favor you owe me."

"What favor?" Dr. Macy retorted calmly.

"I saved your mother's life in '96 when every other doctor in Jersey was too stupid to diagnose her."

"My mother passed last year, you should've asked sooner."

"If it weren't for me you wouldn't have gotten all those extra years with her. Now I need to go through all of the belongings that came in with any John or Jane Does believed to be homeless."

Macy smirked. "She had dementia even in '96 when you treated her, it's not like the extra years were memorable. Gonna' have to come up with something more tempting."

"All right. I heard that you and the little woman are going separate ways and I just saved the life of the best divorce attorney in the state. He said if I ever needed his services, he'd give them free of charge. But since I'm smart enough to never enter martial hell- I'll pass it along to you."

"Deal," Macy agreed with a rough handshake. "Follow me."

Foreman trailed between the two men, dumbfounded by their behavior. "Did that really just happen? You used patients to bargain with."

"Yep," House and Macy replied in unison.

"All right," Macy said as they entered a large file room. "Everything belonging to John or Jane Does is on the bottom shelf, newest envelopes are on the left. It'll probably take you awhile, we've had nearly thirty come in recently. Put it all back the way you found it."

OOOO

"I don't get it," Foreman commented as he glanced at the piles of useless items categorized around the room. "Why did you want to look at belongings? Shouldn't you be looking at bodies?"

"That's pointless. If a medical procedure was going to unsolve this mystery we'd be finished by now. We've run every test possible on Chase and the girl. This illness obviously isn't spread by human-to-human contact or hundreds of people in the hospital and the kid's high school would be sick by now. They both came in contact with something that was contaminated," House explained as he dug out a magnifying glass.

"And if it was contaminated with blood, urine or saliva- it's still spread by humans."

House's eyes widened as he lifted a tattered blanket into his gloved hands. "Maybe it wasn't human. Look at this."

Foreman squinted at the tiny holes. "What's the big deal? They lived on the streets. You can't expect their clothes and blankets to look like they came from Bloomingdales."

House grunted. "Of course not! I meant the similarity!" he shouted as he began grabbing shirts and handkerchiefs from nearby piles. "They all have the same small holes, they're from rats and mice. That's the link! That's how they all got sick."

"Yeah, maybe the homeless people did. And even if Audrey's mom's room was a breeding ground for bacteria, hers' was impeccable. Neither Audrey or Chase have a rat bite, we'd have seen it in an exam."

"It wouldn't matter, that's not how this was spread," House said as the revelation came to him. "It's Hanta Virus- you get it from breathing in the waste of rodent saliva, urine or droppings. Only people get sick from it. There are two different forms- one ruins the kidneys, the other ruins the lungs. And it's pretty clear we're dealing with the pulmonary form."

"What?" Foreman gasped. "I still don't get how that would make Chase or Audrey sick."

"The man that bumped into them wasn't symptomatic yet. But the infected rodents had already spread the virus onto his clothing or personal affects. Chase said he was horribly dirty and when he ran in, he knocked Audrey to ground, that would have caused dust and dirt to fly into they air- and they breathed in. Come on, we have to get back to Princeton Plainsboro!"

"But we promised Macy we'd put everything back as it was," Foreman said as he stared at the clutter.

"Screw the mess!" House yelled as he hurried away. "Even with treatment Hanta Virus has a fatality rate of fifty percent or more!"

Foreman stood frozen as the dark reality hit him at full force. "So," he stammered breathlessly, "one of them is going to die."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you again for the continued feedback. Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Labor Day. Spoiler warning: brief mention of 'No Reason'.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Where's House?" Cameron asked Dr. Cuddy worriedly as she stood over Chase, layering him with cooling blankets as he pulled away from her, mumbling deliriously. Within the past few hours, he had deteriorated rapidly as the disease progressed, stealing away his will to live. "We need help! Chase's fever is nearly 105 and he's incoherent. And Audrey needs someone to get in here and monitor her. I can't take care of both of them at the same time."

"Just try to stay calm, Cameron," Cuddy advised helplessly as she watched through the glass. "Wilson's suiting up to help you. And he's bringing in the drugs we think House said we needed."

"Think?" Cameron repeated. "What's going on?!"

"We aren't exactly certain what diagnosis House gave," Wilson explained as he tugged a protective suit over his shoulders and head. "The reception was horrible and then we lost him completely. We've tried calling back, but we haven't gotten a reply."

"What about calling Foreman's number?"

"We have, Cameron. House was using Foreman's phone. We tried both numbers. Foreman's is dead and House's just rings endlessly."

"This is a nightmare! We're still lost!" Cameron shouted.

"Not completely. House mentioned Interferon and Ribavirin so we know it's a virus," Wilson said lamely as he entered the quarantined room.

Hot tears filled Cameron's eyes as she tried to calm Chase, heartbroken when he reeled away from her touch, his body withering in pain as he fought to breathe. "Then maybe we should give it to them, we're perfectly capable of figuring out a proper dosage without House looking over our shoulder."

"Cameron may be right," Wilson seconded as he examined Audrey. "This girl is more dead than alive."

"No," Cuddy retorted firmly, "we're waiting. Ribavirin and Interferon are both incredibly powerful drugs, I don't want to risk being wrong about what House said and give them side effects they are too sick to handle."

Cameron shook her head angrily. "We can't wait! Look at him," she whispered as she pointed to Chase's brightly flushed face. "He's-he's-"

"Dying," House filled in plainly as he entered the hall with Foreman trailing behind. "And Chase and the kid look that way because they _are_ dying. What a concept, huh? Why the hell is everyone standing around?" the diagnostician grunted as he came closer, rolling his eyes at Wilson. "Maybe you didn't learn this in Med. school, but I was taught that the medicine works better when you give it to the patient instead of having a doctor hold it ransom. And lose the medical spacesuit, they're not contagious."

"A-are you certain?" Cuddy stammered.

"Yes, it's Hanta Virus. Just because they breathed in contaminated air doesn't mean they're contaminating it."

"The rat disease?" Wilson asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes!" House replied angrily as he ripped away the bags of intravenous medication from Wilson. "Give me the damn drugs. Even a cripple can get them in there faster than a frozen idiot. What's the hold up?"

"There were problems with your cell phones," Cuddy reminded him.

"Yeah, Foreman's piece of crap died."

Foreman tiredly rubbed his temples. "Well, maybe we could have gotten through if you had bothered to take your cell with us!"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you were working outside the hospital and would need a way to contact us!" Cuddy interjected.

House shrugged. "I never take my cell phone when I break free from here."

"Why?" Cuddy demanded.

"Because I find the thought of a large boil in the crack of my ass less annoying than pestering phone calls from any of you. Now should we focus on Chase and the kid or make more disgusting analogies?"

Cuddy sighed. "Chase and Audrey, naturally. How on earth could they pick up Hanta Virus? There aren't even any documented cases in Jersey."

"Well, then they're the first, because that's what it is."

"The bum Audrey said bumped into them had infected rodent droppings or saliva on his clothing," Foreman explained, "and when the dust and dirt flew into the air, they both breathed in it."

Cuddy chewed on her bottom lip nervously as the she paced the hall again, the sound of her clicking high heels echoing through the ward. "I know that's possible, but it's just not probable. We need to run tests. What if you're wrong?"

"We don't have time!" House yelled as he entered the room and limped to Chase's gurney. "We searched through the belongings of John and Jane Does at the morgue and found consistent traces of rodent infestation and all the signs match. By the time we run all the tests we need, it's going to be too late."

"It may already be too late," Foreman whispered soberly, "you said the fatality rate is fifty percent or more."

"That's just a number," Cameron argued. "You can't always depend on numbers. We're doctors we know every case is different, even when they have the same illness. Besides, they're both young and have prior good health on their side."

House smirked as he observed Cameron's wishful expression. "And as a doctor you should know better than to rely more on hope than science," the cranky doctor quipped as he glanced at the immunologist and tossed Wilson a dosage of intravenous anti-virals. "Here give that to your new daughter," he ordered sarcastically as he began attaching the combination of Ribavirin and Interferon to Chase's IV.

"Wilson, wait!" Cuddy hollered. "House, is there any other way? They're blood counts are already plummeting and the combination of drugs could lead to Hemolytic anemia and dangerously low platelets counts. There have been severe personality changes and depression linked to these. And-"

"And none of that will matter if they're dead," House interrupted as he secured the IV bag and watched silently as the powerful medicine began to enter Chase's veins.

OOOO

"House!" Dr. Wilson said sternly as the doctor limped into the ICU, struggling to balance the large covered box he carried. "Where have you been the last four hours?"

"At home," House replied nonchalantly, "catching up on my soaps and porn."

"You should have been here with the rest of us waiting to see how Chase would react to the medication," Wilson berated.

"Why? It's not like I can change what will happen now. Did he or the kid have potentially fatal side effects? Though it might be hard to tell considering they were _dying_."

"Well, no."

"See? So there wasn't any reason to skip my guilty pleasures. So now I know the Aussie hasn't gotten any worse, the question is has he gotten any better?" House wondered as he glanced into Chase's room.

"Slightly, his fever has dropped and he isn't delirious anymore. But his lung function is still very poor he's struggling even with the increased oxygen. He's far from getting well, House."

"And the girl?" House inquired as he nodded to Audrey.

"Heart's doing better. But she's still leaning closer to death than life."

"That's depressing. Maybe Chase would perk up a bit if he didn't have a comatose roomie showing him what might be ahead. Why the hell did you bother moving them if they'd just end up together again? At this point, I'm considering attaching them at the hip."

"Cuddy said we needed to free up isolation just in case we'd need it in an emergency. So they were moved here and put in the same room, you know the ICU is always crowded. For Pete's sake, you ended up bunking with the man that shot you."

"Don't remind me. I suppose it's up to kind ole me to cheer Chase up with my gift."

Wilson's jaw dropped involuntarily. "Y-you got someone one else a gift?" he stammered in shock. "You mean, that's not your laundry hidden under the cloth that you were going to sneak in with a patient's?"

"No, I've brought Chase a friend to keep him company since his comatose buddy can't. Tada!" House exclaimed as he removed the cover.

Wilson blinked in confusion and horror as he stared at the rat scurrying around inside the metal cage. "Steve?" he exclaimed. "He's got the rat disease turning his lungs into mush and you brought him your pet rat?! Not to mention they don't even allow real flowers in the ICU, let alone rodents."

"You should know by now I can sneak in anything anywhere. Besides, you gotta' love the irony," House retorted. "You didn't really think I'd want to keep Steve after this whole Hanta Virus thing, did you?"

"No, but I never expected you to keep Steve at all considering that requires thinking of someone besides yourself."

"I think of others. I've lost sleep when Luke and Laura are on the outs," House quipped as he plopped down beside Chase's gurney. "Wake up," he demanded as he poked the young doctor's forehead.

"And people say your bedside manner is lacking," Wilson mumbled as he stepped into the hall.

Weakly, Chase opened his eyes and squinted at his blurry surroundings. "House?" he croaked, his words barely heard through the oxygen mask covering his mouth.

"Pity you're coherent, I was hoping if the delirium continued you might share secrets about Cameron's sex drive."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Chase replied wearily, smirking slightly when he noticed the caged rat for the first time. "Nice joke. You'll have to forget me for not laughing."

"I thought you could use a companion and I couldn't find any wombats or kangaroos lurking around."

"I prefer dingoes," Chase shared as he coughed roughly and struggled to catch his breath.

"You're supposed to be getting better," House said. "You know the way things work around here. I solve the case then the patient gets better and lives in awe of my brilliance for the rest of their lives, making me so invaluable to Cuddy I get to do whatever I want."

"It's getting so hard," Chase panted, grimacing as he heard the crackling vibrating through his lungs. "I can't believe there was a time I took breathing for granted. I feel like I'm drowning."

"Makes sense, you basically are."

Chase lied silently for a moment as the blunt truth sank in. Ever since he had seen Audrey deteriorate before him, he knew that he might die. But now for the first time as he fought to even take a simple breath and felt lingering pain that not even morphine could take away, he actually felt like he was dying.

"House, I can't go on like this much longer."

"Just chill out. Your brain's functioning well enough now for you to know there are other options left if the medicine doesn't start working faster. Thoracentetis again, a medically-induced coma, a-"

"I know," Chase interrupted, "I'm just not sure I want them."

House rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Oh, come on, I know you're sick, but stop sounding like a patient. You're still a doctor, think like one."

"Right now I'm a patient," Chase said, drawing in a raspy breath between each word, "and for the first time I can really relate to the people I've treated here in this ward."

"Duh. We all know Audrey is basically living your life minus the luxury, penis and Australian address."

Chase's green eyes shifted to the gurney lying beside him as he stared Audrey's ashen, lifeless body and the machines pumping life inside of her. He quickly forced him to look at the fluttering lines on Audrey's heart monitor to see proof that she was truly still alive.

"It's more than that. I saw myself in Audrey even when she was physically healthy. This is deeper. When I first started my training in intensive care, I thought I was immuned to death after losing my mother and growing up with a physician for a father, I knew it was just a part of reality. But my first day of training I met this girl that just shook up everything I thought knew. I can still see her face," Chase said as he recalled a pale, round face full of freckles, dark eyes and the bright pink bandana that had been draped over her head.

"Oh, great story time," House commented dully. "Dr. Chase fell for a pretty patient."

"No, she was a child, only eleven and in her fourth relapse of leukemia. I had seen elderly people who were tired of fighting, tired of pain and ready to go. But she was the first child I saw who didn't want to live anymore."

"She may have only been a kid, but she had lived through enough strife to last a lifetime," House replied logically.

"I know that, but she hadn't lived through much of the good life can bring. A first school dance, getting a driver's license or finishing high school; I never understood how anyone could settle until now. Now I understand firsthand," Chase said, pausing suddenly and moaning in agony when the heaviness in his chest once again worsened and sent thrashing waves of pain through his body.

"Chase!" House shouted as he struggled to get to his feet and watched as Chase's chest fell up down rapidly in his desperate attempts to take in air. "Someone get in here and help!" he ordered as the code blue alarm sounded.

Quickly, House threw off the oxygen mask strapped to Chase's face and slapped his cheek as his eyelids fluttered heavily. "Stay with me!" he demanded. "You don't get to die on me; I'm not done with you yet."

"House, what's going on?" Dr. Wilson asked when he ran into the room.

"He can't breathe on his own anymore," House replied, swearing as Chase's eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness. "Get an intubation tray over here."

"Oh dear Lord, he's cyanotic," Wilson panicked as he gazed down at the blue tint covering Chase's lips as he wheeled the kit over.

"Funny what lack of oxygen will do to you," House retorted sarcastically as he grasped a laryngoscope blade. "Tilt his head back. I can't do it and keep my balance."

"Maybe I should do this. House, you rarely ever touch a patient let alone intubate."

"Shut up and do it! We can discuss it when he's not dying!"

With a sigh, Wilson lowered the head of the bed, tossed aside the pillow and tilted Chase's head back. "Can you see the cords?" he asked worriedly as House began sliding the tubing through Chase's mouth.

House nodded briefly as he continued. "Yeah, I've passed them and in the trachea," he explained as he stepped back. "Bag him."

Quickly, Wilson attached the Ambu bag and began pumping. "He's stabilizing," he whispered in relief.

"Good. I'll go order one of the nurses to send in a respirator."

"Yes, only a respirator," Wilson murmured sadly.

"Yes, only a respirator," House repeated mockingly. "But I guess we could set him up for dialysis for the hell of it."

"That's not what I meant. I meant a respirator is all Chase has agreed to. He spoke with me earlier and told me if a respirator isn't enough to save him, he doesn't want anything else."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Chase fought to open his eyes and sit up and stop the dizziness swimming through his head. He heard voices around him that suddenly turned into fading whispers, as if he were floating away from them.

"_We can only do so much. He has to fight for himself now."_

_"He can't die. He's too young."_

Memories rushed through his mind. Days of his childhood spent running on the beach, playing with crayons and markers and practicing the violin for his mother as she listened in awe.

Years of worth of memories flew by in seconds as he saw himself transform from a little boy into a teenager. Carefree days with sunlight and art were replaced with school books and responsibility.

_"We should talk to him, maybe he can hear us."_

_"Keep on fighting, Chase."_

The memories slowed as the voices returned, straining to reach him as he fell somewhere between life and death. Suddenly, he found himself trapped in his home back in Australia, frozen in time with his mother.

_Thirteen-year-old Chase stood idly in the doorway of his mother's bedroom, staring at the back of her wrinkled pink terrycloth robe as she curled up on the mattress, lying perfectly still. With a sigh, he gazed out the window and thought of the other boys his age who were attending parties and dances on a Friday night, remembering when he had been one of them only weeks ago; being lectured by his mother for missing his curfew and mouthing off._

_But within that short time, his childhood had rapidly disappeared and now he had become his mother's caregiver after she had slipped into a violent depression after his father packed his bags and left to begin a new life without them._

_"Mom," Chase whispered as he knocked lightly on the door. "Mom, why don't you get out of bed? I've made us some dinner. I sliced up some of those green apples you like and made sandwiches."_

_"I'm not hungry," she rasped weakly. "You eat without me."_

_"You've got to eat. You'd yell at me if I were barely eating like you are now."_

_"That's different."_

_With a sigh, Chase stepped into the master bedroom and tossed a glare at the empty drawers that had belonged to his father as he sat down beside his mother. "Come on, Mom, you can't stay in here forever," he told her as he placed a comforting hand to her shoulder as she had done for him so many times when he was a little boy._

_"Right now I don't see the point in coming out, Robbie."_

_Despite his sadness, Chase smiled slightly when his mother used her special nickname for him. Even when his father had insisted the name was childish, she had never stopped. Truthfully, he had grown embarrassed when she had called him 'Robbie' in front of his friends, but now; he savored the name and one sign of hope that his mother was not completely lost in the limp body lying before him._

_"There are lots of reasons to go out," he said with false enthusiasm. "For starters, I've got a couple of days off school and that's something worth celebrating. And besides, I could use your help. I have a recital Sunday and I need someone to practice in front of."_

_"You're always wonderful," his mother whispered sedately. "You've never needed me to make you better. Soon you won't need me at all."_

_Chase swallowed roughly and took his mother's clammy hand. "That's not true," he whispered, wishing she would realize that he needed her now more than ever._

_"Yes, it is. Your father found someone prettier and younger. I'm disposable."_

_"Maybe she's younger, but she couldn't be prettier, Mom. You're one of the prettiest women in Australia."_

_"Oh, Robbie, that's nonsense."_

_"No, it's not," Chase said as he glanced over her face. Even with her blonde curls in tangles and dark circles under her tired eyes, his mother's soft features could not be hidden and he was proud to have frequently been told he had inherited his good looks from her. "You know, Mom," he added, "why do you think my friends always want you to drive us to the movies instead of their parents? My friends think you're cute."_

_"Really?" she whispered, laughing lightly as she touched one of his blushing cheeks. "Isn't that just my luck? I don't know if I'll be able to keep a straight face the next time I take you to a movie."_

_Chase grinned back at his mother, delighted by the first suggestion she had made of leaving the house in weeks. "Well, tonight I'm not sharing you. So why don't we have some dinner?"_

_"I guess I could try to eat," she relented, pushing back his blonde bangs gently with the palm of her hand. "You're a good boy, Robbie, such a good boy. I don't know what I did to deserve you."_

_"Mom, don't act so deep. It's just sandwiches and apple slices, not a five-course meal."_

_"It's much more than dinner. You've shown a lot of maturity through all of this, more than I have," she explained quietly as she grasped an empty bottle of Vodka and heaved a sigh as Chase stared at it numbly. "Embarrassing, isn't it?" she whispered._

_"N-no," Chase stammered unsuccessfully._

_"Yes, it is," she insisted. "It's a shameful habit, but one I need to get through the day. I wish I were more like you."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you're so strong," she told him as she placed a kiss on his forehead. "I know no matter what happens that you'll be okay. You're a fighter. You're going to make it."_

Then, suddenly, as quickly as the haunting memories came, they vanished, leaving Chase in darkness with the echo of his mother's voice.

_"You'll be okay."_

He heard a loud beeping, steady and rhythmic fluttering over a heart monitor; and the noisy rise and fall of a respirator.

_"You're a fighter."_

The quiet drip of medicine traveling through an IV, nearly shadowed by messages relayed over the intercom.

_"You're going to make it."_

A bright, nearly blinding light shone down on Chase as he wearily opened his eyes and blinked repeatedly to clear his hazy vision. He squinted when his eyesight became clear, startled by the lean, emotionless face that crept over his and pair of haunting blue eyes that stared down at him.

"Welcome back, Wombat."

OOOO

"Hey there, sleepy head, think you'll stay awake long enough this time for me to say good morning?"

Chase rubbed his eyes as he looked at the familiar sights that passed by him quickly as his gurney was swiftly pushed down the hall. "Cameron?" he whispered, tilting his head to look at his co-worker.

"Uh huh," the immunologist replied with a grin. "Nice to see you lucid again, although House argues that you never were to begin with."

"Where are we going?" Chase asked, swallowing awkwardly.

"Your new room. Congratulations, now that you're breathing on your own and your fever's lowered drastically, you're allowed to leave the ICU. You're getting a private room, compliments of Cuddy."

"H-how long have I been here?" Chase stammered as he desperately tried to remember.

"You've been admitted for four days. Do you remember anything at all? You've been waking up briefly during examinations and when Wilson extubated you, but never more than a minute or two."

Chase gingerly touched his throat, realizing the soreness and the rasp layering his voice for the first time. "A little," he acknowledged as Cameron and the orderly guided the gurney into a secluded room.

"Is-is that a rat?!" he asked in disbelief when he noticed the metal cage sitting beside the bed, standing out in vibrant contrast to the flowers and balloons.

"Yeah," Cameron sighed, "compliments of House. I sent Foreman down here to get him, but House must have intervened."

"Now I'm remembering more," Chase groaned, "I have Hanta Virus."

"That's right."

"But someone else does too," he whispered as he recalled the gurney across from his in the isolation ward and ICU and a young, pale face draped with auburn hair. "A girl."

Cameron nodded hesitantly. "Yes. Come on, let's get you into bed."

"Audrey," Chase whispered as he remembered the heartbroken teenager who had desperately needed more help than he could provide as a physician.

"Yes. But stop asking questions, you'll tire yourself out," Cameron warned as she and the orderly practically lifted him onto the hospital bed.

"How is she?" Chase persisted adamantly. "Is she in a room nearby?"

"No, she's still in ICU. It's taking a bit longer for the medicine to help her, even though you were deathly ill, her lungs and heart were even weaker than yours'. But she's not alone; her boss has been keeping a vigil at her side and frequently asking about you as well."

"Why would she care about me?" Chase muttered, dumbfounded.

"Why wouldn't she?" Cameron retorted. "Chase, look around this room," she said as she pointed at the gifts. "Lots of people care. Even if most of this stuff is from the staff, it still matters. You saw House's room when he was here, staff members weren't eager to send him cards and gifts."

"Everything House would want is illegal."

"Good to see you're getting your sense of humor back," Cameron chuckled.

"I just hope I get my strength back," Chase sighed as he struggled to lift his arm. "I don't think I could even brush my own teeth or hair right now."

"Give it time and don't be afraid to ask for help. I think the nurses have been fighting over who gets to give you a sponge bath."

"Who's been winning?"

"I have," Cameron answered coyly.

Chase smiled weakly. "You've been missing some of the benefits of our friendship?"

"Yes, but not as much as I missed you," Cameron whispered seriously. "You really gave us a scare, Chase. I honestly didn't think you were going to make it."

"That makes two of us."

"But enough of that," Cameron said quickly with a cheerful grin, "we don't have to think about it anymore, you're going to be fine. And before you know it, everything will be back to normal, benefits included," she added with a wink.

Chase swallowed rougly, despite Cameron's enthusiasm; he knew things would never be normal again in his life, not after he came so close to losing it. "Cameron," he murmured, "about that, I-"

"Excuse me," a deep voice echoed into the room, cutting Chase off.

"Wilson," Cameron said, suddenly nervous, "what are you doing here?"

Wilson stood idly in the doorway. "I came to see Chase."

"I thought you were going to wait to do that, until Chase is stronger and House was going to come with you. He's only been up a few minutes."

"There's been a change of plans. An employee was going through the hall and House got distracted when he saw Chase's lunch tray, he can't resist a Rueben. But I did manage to keep him from taking your jell-o," Wilson said lamely as he held up a small green cup.

"Typical," Cameron grunted. "I'll see you later, Chase," she said as she squeezed his hand, "take it easy."

"Here," Wilson said, handing Chase the jell-o cup as Cameron left, "you should really try to eat something."

"Maybe I'd be tempted to if I had a sandwich instead of this," Chase said as he stared down at the green goo. "But at least now I know I was dreaming," he whispered.

"Dreaming?"

Chase groaned inwardly, embarrassed that Wilson had overheard him. "Never mind, it's not anything important."

"Let me guess, it's about House."

"How'd you know?"

"Because you look confused and a little nauseated and that's how most people look when they're thinking about House."

Chase offered a wan grin. "I can't argue with that. I just…I just thought when I woke up that he was in the room, like he had been waiting a while for me. But that would mean he gave a damn, so I obviously dreamt it or was hallucinating."

"You weren't dreaming or hallucinating, Chase, House did wait in your room."

"What?" Chase mumbled, completely surprised.

"He was there, Chase," Wilson said, stressing each word. "I'm not saying he sat there, praying and hoping, you know better than that. But he did care, as much as he's capable of it, anyway. He's interested in all of you; he wouldn't have hired you if he wasn't."

"There's a difference between interest and caring," Chase replied bitterly. "He found us interesting because Foreman had a record, Cameron's pretty and my dad called and got me in. He wanted to use Foreman's past to taunt him and help us break into patient homes, find out why Cameron didn't use her looks instead of her brains and figure out why I wanted to go to the other side of the world to get away from my father."

"Chase, that's not entirely true. You think your dad got you this job?"

"Didn't he?"

"No, at least not the way you may think he did. Your dad called House because he didn't want him to hire you so you'd have to stay in Australia. House figured if someone has renowned as your father thought he had to call in a favor to keep you from getting hired; you had to be extremely good."

Chase sat silently a moment, stunned to learn that both House and his father had thought he was a talented doctor, even though they had never told him to his face.

"But you know you're not allowed to tell House I told you. He'll make my life a bigger living hell than he already does…if that's possible."

"I understand. But now you know you're going to have to tell me why you're really here, unless you have more secrets to stall with."

"Was I that obvious?"

"No, you weren't, but Cameron was," Chase said with a smirk.

"I wanted to talk to you about the girl you had been quarantined with. Do you remember her?"

Chase nodded. "Audrey. I remember very clearly for the most part. How is she? Cameron's said this has been harder on her."

Wilson drew in a ragged breath as he sat down beside the gurney, fumbling for a response.

Chase shivered as he watched, having searched for an answer so pathetically himself whenever he had to break tragic news. "Audrey's dead, isn't she?" he whispered, barely able to say the words.

"No," Wilson responded quickly, "not yet. She's put up a good fight, but people can only fight so long. And since Audrey does not have any family left, it was decided that her boss, Mrs. Nex, would be allowed to decide when it was time to take off Audrey off the machines."

"Has she made her decision?"

Wilson shook his head as he retrieved some paperwork from his clipboard. "She's denied the option. She knows that Audrey liked you and that you had taken excellent care her, far beyond the call of duty. She wants you to make the decision, Chase."

"T-that can't be," Chase stammered. "Why me? I was just her doctor."

"Just her doctor? That's a lie and you and I both know it."

Chase sighed as he recalled the day he had first met Audrey and how determined he had been to help her when she returned to the hospital ill and in need of his care. At times, he had fought harder to save her life than his own.

"How are her stats?"

"Dismal," Wilson said as he handed Chase her chart.

"It's not so bad," Chase countered as he read over the paperwork, "there's a little improvement. Why just look at her temperature- only 100.4, that's great."

"Getting her temperature back to normal won't make her heart and lungs normal and able to function on their own. And her platelet count is dropping rapidly from the strong drugs she needs."

"Then she'll have a platelet transfusion."

"And then what?" Wilson challenged. "How many more procedures should she be put through?"

"You think I should let her go?" Chase asked; his voice almost child-like.

"I can't make up your mind. But, yes, if Mrs. Nex had asked me, I would let Audrey go because I think she's fighting a battle she will never win."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note: **

**Hi everyone,**

**Now that I've reached the end of this story, I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who was kind enough to send such supportive feedback. I hope you will all be happy with the ending. Have a wonderful holiday season!**

**Epilogue: Six Weeks Later**

Chase released a loud yawn as he signed out of the clinic and quickly walked away, eager to reach the elevator before anyone could stop him.

"Chase! Chase, wait!"

Chase turned around cautiously, relieved when he saw Cameron running toward him instead of Cuddy coming to inquire why House had once again failed to complete his own shift. "Hey," he greeted casually as he held the door open for her.

"So, how was it?" Cameron asked anxiously.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, your first day back. This is a big deal. You've been gone for over a month recuperating."

Chase smirked. "I'd be lying if I didn't admit five hours in the clinic has me ready for another month off, but it was kind of nice to start getting back in the swing of things. I've had my fill of daytime TV."

"I can't stand those soaps or chat shows either. How are you holding up? Maybe Foreman or I should have taken the clinic hours instead. You look a little worn out," Cameron worried as she glanced at the dark circles forming beneath his eyes.

"It's all right, really. I am tired, but it's nothing I can't handle. And we both know it's to be expected."

"Well, in that case," Cameron said with a seductive grin, "I think we should celebrate your return if you feel up to it with dinner. And then go back to my place and have dessert."

"I can't, Cameron, I'm sorry I have other plans," Chase told her as the elevator stopped and they exited.

"Oh," Cameron replied, failing to hide her disappointment. "Did you meet a girl while you were gone?"

"I am meeting a girl tonight, but it's not what you think. I'm visiting Audrey."

"Chase, Audrey's been gone for weeks now."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I can't visit her. I know doctors are supposed to put up certain boundaries, but this is different," he explained as they returned to House's office to gather their belongings.

"Of course it is."

"Hey, guys," Foreman said as they entered. "You two headin' out for the night?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready to go home."

"Well, have a good night," Foreman told them casually, pausing when he reached the door. "Hey, Chase?"

"Yeah?" Chase replied over his shoulder as he slipped on his jacket.

"A lady from the gift shop downstairs brought up some flowers she said you wanted. They're on the table."

Chase cast a quick glance at the roses in the corner. "Oh, thanks."

"And Chase?"

"Yes?" he asked reluctantly.

"Glad you're back," Foreman said, quickly patting his shoulder as he walked out the door.

Chase smiled slightly as he glanced at the handprint on his sleeve. Although he knew Foreman still may not consider him a friend or even like him personally, he was proud to see he had at least earned the respect of his co-worker.

"Chase, this arrangement is beautiful," Cameron commented as she observed the arrangement of white roses on the table, gingerly touching the petals. "Why did you pick white?"

"The lady at the shop said white meant innocence, Audrey had lost so much, this seemed like the only way to give some back even if it is too late."

"It's very thoughtful. You know, you made the right decision."

Chase swallowed roughly as Cameron rubbed his back. "Yeah, I guess I did. But right or wrong, I hope and pray that I never have to do something like that again."

"Chase, are you sure you're doing okay?" Cameron asked as she stared up at him intensely. "You seem kind of…."

"Kind of what?"

"I don't know. Just kind of different."

"I suppose that's because I am."

"What do you mean?" she inquired lightly. "A month isn't really _that_ long."

"I'm not different because of the time I was away. I'm different because of what happened during that time."

"I don't understand."

"I didn't expect you to. In fact, I'm glad you can't because it took nearly dying for me to get here."

Cameron grinned slightly. "Oh, now I get it. Colors are brighter, smells are sweeter?"

"No, not really. Look, I know you're skeptical. I don't blame you. I was, too, every time I heard a patient talk about it. I don't have any desire to try new things or see every country in the world before it's too late like some people tell us they want to."

"Then what is it that you want?"

"I want to matter. I want my life and the things in it to matter."

"What are you talking about? Chase, for Pete's sake- you're a doctor, you help save lives. Can anything matter more than that?"

"It's deeper than that. Before I got sick, I was focusing on the wrong things, things that don't really matter when you're on your deathbed. Always trying to please House and practically begging for his approval, I've been so focused on getting ahead that I don't even have a personal life anymore."

"That's nonsense. You and I have personal lives."

"No, we have sex," Chase told her plainly. "You said it yourself- we're just two young, healthy co-workers having great sex."

"So, that's what this is about. Did your near death experience renew your spirituality? Do you feel too guilty to have sex out of wedlock now?"

"No. Honestly, I can't be a part of the arrangement you created for us anymore, but for different reasons. I know you don't care about me-"

"That's not true!" Cameron interrupted. "When you were sick I-"

"Wait, just wait," Chase insisted, lifting his hand to silence her. "I know you cared, but you have never cared about me the way I have about you. Through most of my life, no one has," he whispered as he remembered the numerous second chances he had given his father, the nights of his childhood he spent caring for his mother and even the friendship he had given Dr. House that was never returned. "The next time I make love to someone, I want to know they care about me as much as I care about them. I think I deserve that, something real."

"Wow," Cameron muttered, dumbfounded.

Chase sighed. "I suppose I sound like a sappy fool."

"Not too badly. I'm not going to lie, I'm going to miss sneaking off to release some steam together. But things change."

"Yes…Yes, they do. I guess I better get going before it gets even later," Chase murmured as he gathered Audrey's roses, pausing when Dr. House limped into the room, waving a handful of money. "W-where did you get all that?" he asked.

Cameron groaned. "Please tell me you didn't rob a donation box again."

"I didn't rob it, it said 'for the handicapped' and it went to the handicapped," House said, nodding to his cane.

"Then where did you get it?"

House smiled smugly as he continued counting the green bills. "Just collecting on a few bets some of my co-workers were pathetic enough to make on their fellow staff members. And speaking of which, Cameron, you owe me twenty for Wilson, and Foreman owes me twenty for Chase. To think some people were actually dumb enough to think I couldn't save Chase and believe someone as metro as Wilson wouldn't resort to Botox after a teenager mistook him for her father. You should see him. The man's face is so stiff he can't even eat applesauce without drooling!"

"You made bets regarding my life?!" Chase gasped, shaking his head.

"Yep. And don't look so disgusted, you should be pleased; I was rooting for you and believed you could beat that virus. Foreman thought you were going to bite the dust, go scowl at him."

"Well," Cameron sighed, handing House a twenty dollar bill as she followed Chase out the door, "I guess some things never change."

"Yes, they do," Chase whispered with a slight grin. "House believed in me."

OOOO

"May I help you, sir? You look a little lost."

Chase spun around and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a petite employee staring up at him through her slanted purple glasses. "Uh, yeah, I am a bit lost," he admitted, glancing at the outrageous paintings and sculptures around him. "I haven't been in a museum in years. I'm looking for a teen art exhibit. For Audrey Meadows work, actually."

The woman nodded and waved him over. "It's right over here. Many people have been looking at her work, she's a rare talent. Pity there isn't more to show."

"Yeah," Chase echoed sadly as he turned the corner and saw a portion of the wall filled with beautifully painted landscapes and sketched portraits. He sighed as he glanced over Audrey's exquisite work, angry that so much of her time that should been dedicated to improving her gift had been spent being a caregiver to someone who never properly cared for her.

"Dr. Chase."

A smile instantly graced Chase's lips as he heard the soft, gentle voice he knew he would never forget. He quickly spun around and watched as Audrey walked toward him slowly, but steadily.

As she came closer he could see the signs of illness that still remained that could not be hidden by her make-up, perfectly curled hair or formal evening gown. But despite Audrey's thin frame, extremely pale skin or the dark circles lying beneath her eyes- for the first time, a glow of youth surrounded her. In the gray eyes that had been laden with sadness and desperation there was now a glimmer of hope and excitement.

"Dr. Chase!" she nearly squealed when she reached him and wrapped her arms around him. "It's so good to see you."

"Likewise," Chase replied as he returned the hug, lifting her a few inches from the ground.

"Thank you so much for coming."

"My pleasure. Thank you for inviting me. You look lovely."

"Thank you," she said shyly. "You look great, too. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm the one who should be asking that."

"Typical Dr. Chase- you just can't stop being a physician even for a few minutes to just be normal."

"I'm working on it," Chase told her sincerely. "Oh, these are for you," he added as he handed her the white roses. "Congratulations. I hear this is a big night for you. Your work is the best here."

Audrey blushed as she sniffed the flowers and flashed a grateful grin.

"Audrey! Audrey!" a panicked voice called through the crowd as a small Latin woman shifted through, pushing a wheelchair. "Audrey, there you are!" she said in obvious relief. "Oh, and Dr. Chase, I'm so glad you came! Maybe you can convince her to stay off her feet you know how important it is for her to take it easy."

"Hello, Ms. Nex," Chase greeted Audrey's employer, touched by her motherly tone as she fussed over his former patient.

"Gloria," Audrey sighed, "I'm doing all right, really. When I saw Dr. Chase I just wanted to walk over and say 'hello' and let him see how much better I'm doing. You're worrying too much."

"I most certainly am not, young lady! You gave me the scare of a life time and I cannot go through something like that again. Dr. Chase, does she look flushed to you?" she worried as she pressed her hand to Audrey's forehead.

"I'm fine," Audrey insisted as she turned to Chase. "Please tell her I'm okay."

Chase cleared his throat awkwardly as he glanced at Audrey, noticing the redness taking over her pale cheeks and the multiple deep breaths she was suddenly drawing in. "I think it is a little warm in here and a bit of fresh air wouldn't hurt. I could use some myself."

"All right, I'll walk outside for a few minutes with you. Just let me get your gift."

"Gift?" Chase whispered, utterly surprised. "You got me a gift?"

Audrey nodded. "Yeah, it's in the other room."

"I'll go get it. You go on out, sweetie, I know you're in good hands," Gloria volunteered as she gently squeezed Chase's shoulder. "I just can't thank you enough for everything you did for Audrey. I didn't realize how lonely I had been until she came to live with me after she was released from the hospital. I don't know if my heart could have ever recovered if I lost her."

"I was just doing my job," Chase muttered as Gloria walked away and he took the handles of the wheelchair.

"But you don't have a job to do tonight," Audrey reminded him. "Please don't make me use that thing. Tonight's the first time since I was in the hospital that I've been able to try to have a normal day and leave the house for something other than a check-up."

"All right," Chase relented easily as he offered her his arm, "but don't push it."

Audrey wrapped her arm around his and slowly walked out of the museum. "So, have you had any normal days yet?"

"Today was my first day back at the hospital. But I was stuck in the clinic, and I'm not sure you can call any day 'normal' after that. But things look like they're going better on your end. How are things going now that you're living with Gloria?"

"Wonderfully," Audrey answered as she stepped outside, taking a few deep breaths of the cool night air. "Things have changed so much in such a short time. I can't believe she opened her home to me. She turned her basement into an apartment for me and won't even let me work for her in the future again unless she really needs help. It's almost…like having a mother. She's taken care of me, even when I was a psycho."

Chase gently lowered her onto an empty bench and sat down beside her. "You weren't psycho you just had a personality change and severe depression from the strong drugs you needed to get better."

"Yeah, I guess…I thought I was a monster, but according to Gloria, it was the first time she saw me act like a real teenager. Did you have any Jekyll and Hyde moments?"

"No, I was spared. But I am anemic now like you, though not as severely, and taking steroids to keep my platelet count up. And I have to keep an inhaler handy until my lungs are one-hundred again. But eventually it will probably tamper off for me, I fared a lot better than you."

"I can't complain," Audrey said with a wan grin, "I'm alive. I know my lungs will probably never be as strong as they were and I'll probably always need a few breathing treatments, but being able to breathe on my own is an amazing feeling."

"I'm glad you're happy, but I still feel a bit guilty. I bounced back so much faster, I didn't need by-pass or a platelet transfusion."

"Don't feel guilty. That's not anything to be guilty about. Trust me, I know."

Chase lifted his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Sometimes I feel guilty," Audrey admitted somberly.

"What could you possibly have to be guilty about?"

"My mom's death. Normally when a person loses their mother- they're devastated and their life is a mess. I've just been numb and kind of glad she passed when I was too sick to have to deal with it all, so the state took over and handled it for me."

Chase sat silently a moment, remembering how little he had felt when his father passed away. He hadn't even bothered returning to Australia for the funeral; almost feeling like his father hadn't wanted him there when he hadn't even told him about his cancer diagnosis. "It's understandable, Audrey. Anyone would feel that way."

"It's not just that. Now, without her, my life is better than it really ever has been since Gloria took me in. How could I not feel guilty?"

"Audrey, you have had a really rough life, and for better or worse, you nearly lost your own life a few weeks ago. Don't waste your energy on guilt. You deserve a second chance at a wonderful life and happiness."

"Is that why you didn't give up on me?" Audrey asked in a whisper as she tilted her head to face him.

"You know about that?"

"Gloria told me. She said most of the other doctors thought it was time to let me go, but you wouldn't give up. You fought for me."

Chase sighed as he recalled the memory. "You had been fighting for too long on your own, someone needed to fight for you. I just stepped in until you were strong enough to take over. You've seen the bad in life, now it's time to see the good."

"That goes both ways."

"Yes," Chase muttered, knowing part of the reason he never wanted to let go of Audrey was because he felt like he would be giving up on his own hope of starting over.

"So what are you going to do with your new lease on life?"

"Get a life for starters," he replied with a good-natured chuckle. "Something more than rounds at the hospital by day and frozen pizzas at night."

"Have you made any progress?"

"Well, I'm not quite as alone now. I have a room mate. Steve. He's...um…a rat."

"You know that's really pathetic, right?"

Chase grinned, thankful to hear Audrey sounding like a normal teenager. "Yeah, I know. But I always wanted a pet when I was a kid, but I was never allowed. And I figured since I already beat Hanta Virus a rat would be kind of fitting."

"Or kind of creepy," Audrey suggested, shuddering. "Isn't it crazy that it took nearly dying for us to start really living?"

"Yes. The only thing crazier is that you know that at eighteen. You're just a kid."

"Yeah," Audrey said with a beaming smile, "for the first time, I really feel like I am just a kid. Sometimes, when I find myself just thinking about school, college or my artwork instead paying bills or saving my mom, I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm awake."

"Don't worry it's real and probably about to get even better. Some people remember their college years as the best of their life."

"Yeah, I know some people like that who are anxious to get away from home and do some heavy partying. But I'm not one of them. It's been so long since I looked forward to going home… I want to cherish my time with Gloria. I'm going to enroll in a local school with a great art program so I can try to break into illustration when I graduate."

"That sounds like a great plan."

"You really think so? Most people think I'm crazy when I mention studying art."

Chase smiled sadly as he remembered when his father mocked his love of music. "Obviously those people haven't seen your work. But if you do decide to change your mind, I still insist you're already smart enough to be a shrink."

Audrey rolled her eyes. "If that were true Gloria wouldn't be sending me to one."

"It's not anything to be embarrassed about," Chase assured her, knowing that he himself could benefit from a little therapy if he weren't so stubborn.

"I'm not embarrassed. It just feels weird to be talking about things I fought to keep a secret for so long."

"I understand completely."

"Sometimes it feels like a lost cause," Audrey sighed. "That it really doesn't matter how many sessions I have, I'll never be able to have a normal life."

"Is anyone really normal?" Chase asked with a weak chuckle. "I used to dream of being normal as a kid, but after becoming an adult I met a lot of other people who were pretty screwed up, too, even from functional families. And then once I started working in the clinic…I knew normal didn't exist."

"Okay, in that case…I guess I might have a shot at a decent life after all," she muttered, smiling as Gloria stepped outside and walked toward them.

"Here you are, sweetie," Gloria said as she handed Audrey a small, guitar-like shaped case. "Come inside soon, all right? It's a little nippy out here and lots of people inside would love to meet you."

Audrey nodded and kissed her cheek. "I will. Thank you." She smiled slightly as she turned to Chase and pressed the case into his hands. "Well, I guess it's pretty obvious what I got you. I hope you like it."

"A violin?" Chase whispered breathlessly as he ran his palms over the familiar shape of the worn black case. "You got me a violin?"

"Yeah, I know it might seem a little dorky. But you said you used to love playing."

"Yes, but I haven't in years. I'd probably make people's ears bleed now if I tried. Why did you do this?"

"Like I said, Gloria's making me see a shrink and at my session she told me that even if I try to forget my past, it will never really go away, but I could move on. And it might be easier if I thought of one good thing from my past to take with me. So, I picked up my artwork again and started trying to become the professional artist my dad thought I could be. I thought playing the violin again might help you."

Audrey swallowed roughly and twisted her hands together nervously as Chase stared at the gift in silence. "Did I just sound totally cheesy?"

"N-no," Chase stammered as he regained his voice. "This is a beautiful gift. It's the most beautiful and thoughtful gift I have ever received. But I can't accept it."

"Why not?"

"Even a used violin costs an absurd amount of money."

"They do?" Audrey replied awkwardly. "I didn't buy it. I traded a painting for it with the music teacher at my school. Did he get a bad deal?"

"No. Violins are worth a lot of money, but I have a feeling your artwork is worth even more," Chase said sincerely.

"Well, he told me it was all ready to go when he dropped it off tonight. All tuned up or whatever it is you do with a violin."

"Thank you. I promise you I am going to play it, maybe it will help."

"Well….I guess I better get back in now," Audrey said reluctantly as she slowly pulled herself to her feet. "Thank you again for coming."

"My pleasure. Can you make it on your own?" Chase asked as he stood with her.

She nodded. "Yeah, I can manage. It feels weird saying goodbye to you, I know doctors and patients are not suppose to cross certain lines, but it feels like you were so much more. You were almost…like a big brother, Dr. Chase."

Chase smirked as he recalled the countless jokes House had made. At the time, the words 'big brother' had been an embarrassment, but now hearing Audrey say them, they felt like an honor. "Maybe we shouldn't say goodbye. I think it would be okay if we kept in touch. But you're going to have to drop that formal 'Dr. Chase' stuff. My name's Robert."

Audrey wrinkled her nose. "Robert? That's as formal as Dr. Chase. Don't you have any nicknames? You know, like Robbie?"

Chase smiled slightly as he suddenly remembered his mother's voice whenever she used the special nickname, like an angel whispering in his ear. "Yeah, special people call me 'Robbie'. I can live with that."

"Okay, then, Robbie," Audrey said as she hugged him goodbye.

Chase returned the embrace and pressed a light kiss to her forehead, surprised when he heard her murmur. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You're thanking the wrong person," Chase told her as he gently pulled away. "Dr. House saved your life."

"No, he didn't. I know it's because of Dr. House that I'm still breathing and have a pulse, he helped save my body. But you're the one who really saved my life."

Chase watched Audrey as she walked back inside, left speechless from her kindness and sincerity as he gingerly began to open the violin case. Dozens of memories flooded his mind as he stared at the violin, lightly brushing his fingertips over the wood and strings. But one memory in particular stood out as he remembered his mother always asking him to play her favorite hymn 'Amazing Grace', the song he had wanted to play for her one final time as a special farewell at her funeral.

With a deep breath, Chase lifted the violin and bow and took the formal position he had been taught so many years ago as he tucked the instrument between his jaw and collarbone. He gulped as he saw people passing by staring at him awkwardly and felt the bow trembling in his right hand. But despite it all, he closed his eyes and began to play.

He had spent too many years trying to please people- his father, House, even his co-workers. It didn't matter if the people on the street hated his music or if he made mistakes, he wasn't playing for them- he was playing for himself and hoping his mother could hear him.

As his nerves calmed and he heard the simple, yet haunting melody lift into the night air, he opened his eyes and saw Audrey smiling back at him through the glass inside the museum, reminding him of the first time he had seen her standing idly in the doorway at the clinic. Even before he heard about the despair and sorrow that was shadowing her life, he had been connected to her because he had seen his own reflection in her eyes- the same sadness and loneliness he felt that was impossible to hide. Now as he played freely, he hoped he would once again see the spirit shining in Audrey's eyes- now filled with excitement and hope in his own when he looked in the mirror.

When Chase finished playing the hymn, he slipped the violin back into the case, saying goodbye to his mother and his broken past and hello to the bright, new future ahead of him.

The End


End file.
